‘Try to reach these kids’: Drunk driving manslaughter sentencing held at California high school

Rosalio Ahumada
·3 min read

A Northern California sentencing hearing for a woman convicted in a deadly drunk driving crash was held in a high school gym in a hope that students would see firsthand the consequences of getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

On Thursday morning, 23-year-old Clara Ann Delong of Wheatland was sentenced to four years in prison for the Sept. 12 death of Ken Glass, a 40-year-old Wheatland father who left behind a wife and three daughters.

Her conviction and sentencing were the result of a plea deal with the Yuba County District Attorney’s Office. On Nov. 8, Delong pleaded no contest to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and hit-and-run resulting in death, according to a news release from the District Attorney’s Office.

Yuba Superior Court Judge Benjamin Wirtschafter agreed to hold Thursday’s sentencing hearing in a student assembly at the Wheatland Union High School gym.

Prosecutors said Delong agreed to be sentenced at the high school, hoping the students might learn from her mistake. High school juniors and seniors attended the assembly.

“We all agreed to hold the sentencing in the high school in the hope that it will impact the students and prevent at least one DUI fatality in the future,” District Attorney Clint Curry said in the news release. “I am thankful to Judge Wirtschafter for agreeing to move his courtroom to the gym so we can try to reach these kids.”

On the day of the fatal crash four months ago, Delong drank about six Twisted Tea Hard Iced Teas, containing alcohol, while at Top Golf in Roseville before driving home to Wheatland, prosecutors said.

The deadly crash occurred about 8:45 p.m. on Spenceville Road, west of Jasper Lane in Wheatland. Delong was driving a white Chevrolet Silverado pickup. Glass was riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle.

A Yuba Superior Court hearing was held Thursdayin the Wheatland High School gym for Clara Ann Delong ,who was sentenced to four years in prison for the death of Ken Glass. He was riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle on Sept. 12, when Delong’s Chevrolet Silverado pickup crashed into him on Spenceville Road in Wheatland.
A Yuba Superior Court hearing was held Thursdayin the Wheatland High School gym for Clara Ann Delong ,who was sentenced to four years in prison for the death of Ken Glass. He was riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle on Sept. 12, when Delong’s Chevrolet Silverado pickup crashed into him on Spenceville Road in Wheatland.

Prosecutors said Delong turned left onto Spenceville Road, and the pickup struck Glass on the oncoming motorcycle. Delong ran from the pickup, but Yuba County sheriff’s deputies found her shortly after at her nearby home.

She was taken into custody. Prosecutors said Delong’s blood-alcohol content was later determined to be 0.10%, over California’s legal limit of 0.08% if the driver is older than 21. For those younger than 21, it’s illegal to drive with blood-alcohol content 0.01% or higher, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

Glass’ family attended Thursday’s sentencing hearing. Delong sat next to her attorney Geoff Heitman in front of the judge as those in attendance sat behind the defendant, prosecutors said in the news release.

A nonprofit organization, Arrive Alive California Inc., helped facilitate the assembly, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Shiloh Sorbello, who prosecuted the case, said no amount of prison time will ever make up for Glass’ death. But the prosecutor said he hoped the sentencing at the school would save lives in the future.