Accused drunken driver pleads not guilty to murder in July 4 crash
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Let out from work early, William Largent went to his boss’s home for a Fourth of July party.
Driving home that night, he headed north on Oak Street and attempted to make a right turn onto 24th Street “well above the posted speed limit,” according to newly released police reports.
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Largent’s car ran over the center divider — striking and fatally injuring a pedestrian — then hit three vehicles on westbound 24th Street before coming to a stop, police said. Chad Anthony Jacques, 48, was declared dead at the scene.
Arrested and taken to Kern Medical, Largent blew a 0.170 and 0.166% — double the state’s 0.08% blood-alcohol limit for driving, the reports say.
On Monday, the 33-year-old Largent made his first court appearance, pleading not guilty to charges including second-degree murder.
He remains out of custody — for a few days, at least. A bail hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
A witness to the crash estimated Largent’s Toyota Camry was traveling 80 mph on Oak Street before attempting the turn, according to the documents. Police gave a higher estimate of 90 mph based on evidence at the scene.
Largent, who works at Terry Bedford Concrete Construction Inc., denied drinking but smelled of alcohol and had red, watery eyes, police said. He performed poorly on some of the field sobriety tests officers administered, according to the documents.
Largent has a DUI conviction from 2013, and, as with everyone convicted of DUI, has previously been read a Watson advisement — a formal statement telling him he can be charged with murder if he continues to drive under the influence and someone dies as a result.
An officer on July 4 again read the advisement to Largent.
“Largent did not respond to me; however, he did cry,” the officer wrote in the reports. “This indicates to me that he understands the advisement.”
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