Woman Convicted in Fatal Laguna Beach Hit-and-Run Collision
Sysillia Kianna Morrison Montes De Oca, a 22-year-old woman, has been convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter, hit and run with permanent and serious injury, and failing to stop at a hit and run with injury or death, all felonies. Jurors also found true a sentencing enhancement for fleeing the scene of a vehicular manslaughter. The conviction stems from an August 11, 2022, incident in Laguna Beach where Montes De Oca struck 60-year-old Stanley Isaacs, who died from his injuries, and injured his wife, Catherina, while they were crossing the street. The collision occurred at South Coast Highway and Pearl Street. Prosecutors argued that Montes De Oca was speeding and had smoked marijuana earlier that evening, and that she returned to the crime scene later with a friend before conducting online searches about deadly hit-and-runs. Her defense attorney argued there was no evidence she was smoking marijuana in the car and that she was 'catatonic' after the collision, leaving the scene at the urging of friends.
