Tag Archive for: prosecuting DUI cases

Deputy District Attorneys Recognized with MADD “Prosecutor of the Year” Awards

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that Deputy District Attorneys Mary Loeb and Natalie Garcia were each recognized as Prosecutor of the Year for their work in the DA’s DUI Homicide Unit. The honors were announced by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) at the annual MADD San Diego Law Enforcement and Prosecutor Recognition Awards held June 5th at the Town and Country Resort.

“This recognition from MADD highlights the outstanding work of our prosecution team, specifically Mary Loeb and Natalie Garcia, whose expertise and commitment in serious and fatal DUI-related cases repeatedly delivers justice to victims and their families,” said DA Stephan. While the fatal consequences of alcohol-impaired driving are well known, we’re increasingly seeing drivers under the influence of drugs or a dangerous mix of both alcohol and drugs, with often tragic outcomes. These two prosecutors skillfully handle complex drug-DUI cases, helping jurors understand the often-hidden signs of drug impairment. I’m incredibly proud of them, and this award is a testament to their hard work and dedication.”

In 2024, 26 people were killed in 21 DUI-related crashes in San Diego County. So far in 2025, the DA’s DUI Homicide Unit has filed 11 new DUI homicide cases.

Recipients of MADD’s awards are chosen through a call for nominations process. The organization reaches out to community partners, law enforcement agencies, local officials and their internal victim advocates asking them to nominate individuals who stand out in the community with regards to DUI-related work.

Every year, MADD honors law enforcement officials for their continuous efforts in DUI-related enforcement. This year, the event recognized law enforcement with awards for the number of DUI arrests made annually. According to MADD, each arrest is a life saved and MADD awards law enforcement’s service as they dedicate their lives to keeping our roads safe.

Deputy DAs Mary Loeb and Natalie Garcia were nominated by Deputy DA Hailey Williams, the Director of the DA’s DUI Homicide Unit. In 2024, Loeb and Garcia successfully prosecuted Tayishe Baltys for killing 15-year-old Jessica Talamante and her 39-year-old stepfather Brian McKee. In 2022, Baltys drove drunk and fatally struck Jessica and Brian as they walked across East Plaza Boulevard in National City toward their home. Prior to the collision, Baltys spent three hours drinking alcohol with co-workers at a Dave & Buster’s restaurant in Mission Valley. Despite two separate bartenders asking Baltys if she planned to take an Uber or Lyft home, Baltys instead got behind the wheel of her car so intoxicated that she drove to National City, even though she resides in Mission Valley.

Although Baltys repeatedly denied drinking to the responding officers, her blood-alcohol content was approximately 0.16%, which is twice the legal driving limit. Just 19 days before the fatal collision, Baltys had completed DUI probation following a DUI arrest and conviction one year earlier. Deput DAs Mary Loeb and Natalie Garcia’s skilled presentation of the facts of their case and cross-examination of defense witnesses secured justice for the deaths of Jessica and Brian. In December 2024, a Chula Vista jury returned guilty verdicts against Baltys for their murders.

Fatal DUI Numbers Higher Among Young Drivers; DA Using Grant to Target Offenders

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that her office is receiving an $899,425 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety for the eleventh year in a row to prevent and prosecute impaired driving deaths and DUI-drug cases. The grant award comes as San Diego County fatal DUI numbers remain at an all-time high.

In 2023, 32 people were killed in 29 DUI-related crashes. So far in 2024, there have been 25 people killed in 20 DUI-related crashes.

“I am grateful our office has continued to receive this grant that allows our specialized team of prosecutors and investigators to hold offenders accountable and work to deter impaired driving,” DA Stephan said. “Every year we have an unacceptable amount of fatal DUIs. As the holiday season approaches, people need to make responsible choices, use ride sharing services and keep their friends and family from getting behind the wheel if they are impaired.”

Data shows that the number of young drivers involved in fatal DUI-related crashes has increased this past year. Prosecutors say that more than half of the individuals charged with DUI homicide offenses in 2024 were between the age of 18 and 26 at the time of the collision.

The grant will allow the DA’s DUI Homicide Unit to continue its critical work, including education and prevention efforts within the community. The unit, which launched in 2014, streamlines complex DUI cases by creating expertise within the DA’s Office. The specialized unit creates uniformity in sentencing among the four adult courthouses. In addition, the unit helps law enforcement adapt to changes in technology by having a designated DA Investigator who is trained in the latest techniques in collision reconstruction. Since its inception, the unit has prosecuted nearly 250 cases and they have received more than $5 million in funding from the Office of Traffic Safety.

Funding will also be used to:

  • Provide education for young drivers about the dangers of DUI-driving.
  • Provide training for select prosecutors to become experts in DUI-drug cases.
  • Provide training for prosecutors and investigators through California’s Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Program as well as San Diego County specific training.
  • Host quarterly regional meetings with law enforcement partners to improve DUI investigations and prosecutions.

In 2023, the District Attorney’s Office filed 3,916 DUI cases, including 234 DUI drug cases. As of September 30, 2024, the DA’s Office has filed 4,389 DUI cases including 280 DUI drug cases this year. Many of these numbers are significant increases from years past.

Funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety is provided through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The grant program runs through September 2025.