Life Sentence in Porterville DUI Murders

Today in Department 17 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, the court sentenced Elizabeth Nungaray, age 47, to life in prison for the DUI deaths of two people and significant injuries to multiple others.

At approximately 3:20 in the afternoon on June 19, 2021, Porterville Police Department officers responded to Main St. and Orange for a multi-vehicle collision. Nungaray, who possessed a prior DUI conviction from 2000, was speeding, swerving, and violating traffic signals when she crashed into the victims’ SUV. The impacted vehicle was occupied by an aunt, a mother, and four children aged 5 to 13 years old. One of the children, a 10-year-old, died at the scene, and an 8-year-old child was pronounced deceased at the hospital. The surviving family members suffered severe injuries including permanent paralysis. The occupant of a third vehicle suffered minor injuries. Nungaray’s blood alcohol level was .15%.

On March 29, 2024, Nungaray pleaded no contest to two counts of second-degree murder and one felony count of DUI causing injury. The charges are enhanced with the special allegations that she possesses prior felony convictions and that she personally inflicted great bodily injury.

Under California state sentencing laws, Nungaray has a minimum parole eligibility of 30 years not including CDCR credits.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Sean Sangree.

Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare Chief Deputy District Attorney Dave Alavezos (559) 636-5494