A Yolo County judge has ruled that David Walker will face eight charges, including murder, stemming from a tragedy that devastated a West Sacramento community last August. Two 17-year-old girls, Layla Chrissa Clemons and Jaea Chatman, were struck and killed while riding their bikes on Jefferson Boulevard near Bevan Road. Walker allegedly fled the scene after the collision.
The case hinges on intoxication—or rather, whether prosecutors can prove it beyond reasonable doubt. Prosecutors allege Walker was driving drunk, citing his own statement to police that he’d consumed six to eight ounces of vodka, blacked out, and couldn’t remember what happened. But the defense threw down a different challenge: there’s no breathalyzer result, no field sobriety test documentation, no odor of alcohol noted by officers. A DUI conviction can’t stand on a defendant’s word alone, they argued. Instead, they suggested Walker’s bipolar disorder diagnosis and symptoms of mania offer an alternative explanation for whatever happened that night.
The prosecutor’s counterargument was blunt and piercing. The driving itself tells a story—one of catastrophic recklessness. There were no skid marks, no indication Walker even tried to brake. He drove directly through two children on bicycles riding side by side on a road with no shoulder, and he failed to give them the three feet of clearance required by California law. That’s not the behavior of someone having a manic episode; it’s the behavior of someone who couldn’t see them coming.
The judge agreed there’s enough evidence to move forward with the charges. For Layla’s grandmother, Stephanie Vallejos, it felt like validation.“Tears just started coming down my face,”she said after the ruling.“He is going to be held accountable for murdering our two children because he knew that drinking and driving could end up in someone’s death.”
There’s also a prior DUI arrest in Alameda County in Walker’s background, though it didn’t result in conviction—context that underscores prosecutors’narrative about a pattern of dangerous behavior behind the wheel. Walker’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 24. This case now moves closer to trial, where a jury will have to weigh whether the evidence of intoxication is sufficient, or whether reasonable doubt persists.
For the families of Layla Chrissa Clemons and Jaea Chatman, July 24 marks another step toward whatever version of justice the system can deliver.
About the Author
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
