Driver of sports car who killed professor riding bike near Fresno enters plea in court
A Clovis man accused of crashing his luxury sports car into a cyclist riding in the east Fresno County foothills and killing her in 2022 pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a misdemeanor charge of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence.
Johnson Chang, 47, also entered not guilty pleas to charges of speeding and making an improper turn over double lines.
Killed in the crash was Adela Santana-Mullooly, 51, a college instructor, wife, and mother of five. Along with being an avid cyclist, Santana-Mullooly was a lecturer in the anthropology department at Fresno State. She also taught at Clovis Community College.
According to the California High Patrol, Santana-Mullolly was riding west on Watts Valley Road on Oct. 2, 2022, when an Acura NSX driven by Chang was coming the opposite direction.
Chang attempted to negotiate a curve in the road but he veered into the westbound lane directly into the path of Santana-Mullooly.
She was unable to steer away from the sports car and was hit head-on, according to the CHP. She died at the scene.
Chang, who remained at the crash site, was not suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to the CHP.
Chang returns to court on Feb. 22 in Dept. 1.
The family of Santana-Mullolly has filed a civil lawsuit against Chang, alleging he and several others in luxury sports car drivers were driving carelessly that day.
Los Angeles attorney Brian Panish is suing for negligence and financial damages. Panish accused Chang and the drivers of four other sports cars — a 2022 white Porsche 911, a 2018 black Porsche 911 GT3, a green Lamborghini and a Ferrari — of speeding and racing against each other on Watts Valley Road.
This story was originally published January 16, 2024 at 5:34 PM.
