Murder charge for Auburn man in alleged drunk driving crash that killed Michigan woman
Placer County prosecutors have charged an Auburn man with second-degree murder in a suspected drunk driving crash three months ago that killed one of his passengers, a Michigan woman.
Including the murder charge, prosecutors on Monday filed seven felony counts against Jerome Levon Love, 29, in the death of Meghan Andrews, the California Highway Patrol announced Tuesday in a news release.
Love also faces charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, reckless driving with great bodily injury, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, conspiracy to obstruct justice and other related offenses, the CHP said. His charges include enhancements for allegations of personally inflicting great bodily injury and a having a previous DUI conviction within the past 10 years.
Micaela Laine Love, 29, of Auburn, was charged with felony counts of conspiracy to obstruct justice and conspiracy to commit a crime in connection with the fatal Nov. 2 crash. Micaela Love was the passenger in the front seat of the vehicle when the crash occurred.
CHP officials said Jerome and Micaela Love allegedly conspired to give emergency responders and law enforcement false information about who was driving the vehicle when the crash occurred. The CHP arrested them both. It was unclear how the two are related.
Jerome and Micaela Love were in a Mercedes sport utility vehicle with Andrews when the SUV went off Mount Vernon Road and struck a tree near Auburn. Initial reports indicated that Micaela Love — who suffered major injuries in the crash — was driving the SUV.
Jerome and Micaela Love are in custody at the county jail and being held without bail, according to the CHP. They were scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Placer County Superior Court.
