A California man now faces a drunk driving murder charge after prosecutors say he ran a red light at high speed and killed an innocent driver. His blood alcohol content was allegedly nearly four times the legal limit.

Kanwal Sahil, 28, first faced gross vehicular manslaughter charges following the crash on 25 January 2026 on West Capitol Avenue in West Sacramento. On 6 March, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office escalated the case. Prosecutors amended the criminal complaint to add a drunk driving murder charge, accusing Sahil of killing a human being “with malice aforethought.”

Drunk Driving Murder Charge Follows a Deadly High-Speed Crash

The collision happened in broad daylight near an ARCO petrol station and Interstate 80. Prosecutors say Sahil struck Chloe Borders’ vehicle at such speed that it travelled approximately 100 yards down the road.

Borders was just weeks away from her 32nd birthday. She had recently started training as a therapist, driven by a passion for helping others.

“Chloe was a bright light to everyone who knew them,” her family said in a statement to CBS News Sacramento. “Chloe was an avid artist and dance performer who touched the hearts of people around the world with their wit, compassion, and genuine kindness.”

Why Prosecutors Filed a DUI Murder Charge

To secure a DUI murder charge conviction, prosecutors must prove Sahil acted with malice. Aloysius Patchen, Deputy District Attorney for Yolo County, pointed to the extreme intoxication, high speed, and blatant disregard for traffic signals as justification.

“People take for granted the fact that vehicles weigh several tons,” Patchen said. “When you are driving 60, 70 miles an hour, and you hit somebody because you have made the choice to drink and drive, you are responsible for your actions.”

These cases clearly matter deeply to the DA’s office. “These cases are serious, and something that we at the DA’s office in Yolo County really, really put a lot of work into and care significantly about,” Patchen said.

Sahil pleaded not guilty to the drunk driving murder charge on Monday. He remains in custody at Yolo County Jail.

DUI Deaths in California Are Rising Sharply

This DUI murder charge reflects a worsening road safety crisis across the state. Over the past decade, DUI deaths in California rose by more than 50 per cent. That increase is more than twice the national average, according to CalMatters. In 2023 alone, 1,370 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes in California, based on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. These are not statistics in isolation. They represent real people on ordinary roads, going about their daily lives.

Late last year, Yolo County prosecutors filed a similar DUI murder charge against a man who allegedly struck and killed a 70-year-old woman in Woodland whilst under the influence. The county is making clear it will pursue the most serious charges available in fatal impaired driving cases.

Family of Chloe Borders Speaks Out

The upgraded charge brought little comfort to Borders’ family. They made clear that no courtroom outcome could undo the loss.

“Regardless of the outcome, we will never celebrate another birthday, holiday, or special moment with our beloved Chloe and that can never be made right,” the family said.

The family thanked the DA’s office and the West Sacramento Police Department for their care and professionalism throughout the investigation.

Patchen believes the drunk driving murder charge sends a clear and necessary message to the public. “The facts bear out that a murder charge is appropriate in this scenario,” he said.

Prosecutors will now argue in court that choosing to drive whilst severely intoxicated is not an accident. It is a deliberate and deadly decision with consequences.

Source: cbsnews