Bay Area woman charged with murder for Hwy. 101 crash that killed her mother

A Novato woman arrested after a crash that killed her mother has been charged with murder and gross vehicular manslaughter with intoxicated.

Kenia Marcela Alegria, 41, had an initial court appearance Thursday in Sonoma County Superior Court. She also has been charged with committing a second intoxicated driving offense within seven years of another DUI, according to the court.

The prosecution alleges her blood-alcohol level was 0.20% or more. The legal limit is 0.08%, although Alegria was prohibited from driving with any alcohol in her system because she is on probation for a DUI conviction in Marin County in 2023, according to court records.

Her probation was due to expire next month.

Alegria did not enter a plea Thursday, a spokesperson for the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office said. Her case has been assigned to a public defender. She is being held without bail at the county jail in Santa Rosa.

The crash happened on Feb. 11 on Highway 101 near Petaluma Boulevard South, the California Highway Patrol said. Teresa Renderos, 61, of Novato was pronounced dead at the crash site. Alegria and another passenger, her 60-year-old aunt, were taken to hospitals, the CHP said.

Police booked Alegria on Tuesday after she was released from Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

The Press Democrat contributed to this report.