LAKE COUNTY — The sentencing of James Nightingale, 31, of Kelseyville was continued Friday to a date to be determined. Nightingale is being held to answer to three charges in connection to the Sept. 24, 2010 traffic incident that led to the death of area restaurant owner Zino Mezoui.
Nightingale originally pleaded not guilty to charges, including felony vehicular manslaughter; felony hit and run; and driving on a suspended license. However, in February Nightingale pleaded no contest to a felony charge of vehicular manslaughter with a lesser included offense not citing gross negligence as well as to a felony charge of hit and run resulting in injury or death. He also pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charge of driving on a suspended license for previous DUIs and thereto admitted prior convictions.
The prosecution contends that on Sept. 24, 2010 Nightingale attempted to precede without caution through the intersection of Seigler Canyon Road and Highway 29 in Lower Lake at which time the blue Suburban he was driving collided with the motorcycle Mezoui was traveling on. Nightingale then allegedly left the scene of the collision. Mezoui died as a result of the collision.
Judge Stephen O. Hedstrom said in February that Nightingale could face up to a year in county jail for violation of probation and another year of county time for driving on a suspended license. He said Nightingale faces a maximum sentence of four years in state prison in relation to the hit and run charge. “The maximum time you could be sentenced to do with these pleas is a six-year-period of time,” Hedstrom said.
Nightingale faces an additional year and a half in county jail for charges in two other unrelated cases in which he admitted to violating probation by driving on a suspended license in August 2010.
