Crime & Safety
Stanford Grad Student Pleads Not Guilty to Manslaughter
The student is enrolled in the Graduate School of Business.
A Stanford Graduate School of Business student Tuesday pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges related to a fatal wrong-way crash on U.S. Highway 101 in South San Francisco last month, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.
Zachary Katz, 24, has been charged with one count of vehicular manslaughter and two counts of felony drunk driving causing great bodily injury in connection with the Oct. 5 crash that killed 62-year-old Pedro Juan Soldevilla of Puerto Rico, Chief Deputy District Attorney Karen Guidotti said.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Katz had a blood alcohol content of around .15 when he drove the wrong way onto southbound Highway 101 near Sierra Point Parkway at 3:50 a.m. He crashed into an SUV taxi, which veered across several lanes and was struck by a Mazda, the CHP said.
Soldevilla, who had been a passenger in the cab, was ejected and died at the scene. Another passenger and the taxi driver were seriously injured, the CHP said. The driver of the Mazda was not injured.
Katz suffered several broken bones and was hospitalized for four days before he was arrested and booked at San Mateo County Jail.
He remains out of custody on $250,000 bail, Guidotti said.
Prosecutors have requested an increase in bail based on the number of charges, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.
A bail hearing has been set in San Mateo County Superior Court on Friday at 9 a.m.
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