A woman convicted of hitting and killing a California Highway Patrol officer while driving high on methamphetamine has been granted parole suitability.
Last week, the state Board of Parole granted parole to Kaylee Ann Weisenberg, 35, after serving 12 years of a 15 years-to-life prison sentence.
On June 27, 2010, Weisenberg was under the influence of methamphetamine and speeding when she lost control of her vehicle on South River Road and crashed into CHP Officer Brett Oswald as he was attending to a disabled vehicle.
Weisenberg was convicted of second-degree murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
According to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office, at the time of Weisenberg's sentencing, people convicted of murder were not eligible for "good time" credits so Weisenberg was required to serve every day of her 15 years before being considered for parole. However, in 2016, Proposition 57 was passed, allowing inmates convicted of violent crimes up to a 1/3 reduction in their sentence.
Last week was Weisenberg's second parole suitability hearing.
Members of Oswald's family and a District Attorney's Office representative attended the hearing and voiced their objections to Weisenberg's release.
“I strongly disagree with the Parole Board’s decision to release Kaylee Ann Weisenberg back into the community after serving only 12 years for taking the life of a California Highway Patrolman,” District Attorney Dan Dow said in a press release on Monday. “My office will urge Governor Newsom to review and repeal the Parole Board’s decision in this case.”
Despite the Board of Parole's decision, it's not guaranteed Weisenberg will be released. In murder cases, the governor has the power to reverse or modify the board's decision.
Weisenberg's first parole suitability hearing was held in 2021 and she was denied parole.
Weisenberg is currently in custody at the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla.
