Driver Sentenced in High-Speed Oxnard Crash That Killed Two People

A driver who weaponized his car at triple-digit speeds is headed to state prison, but prosecutors are absolutely furious that the judge handed down what they consider a slap on the wrist. On Monday, June 15, 2026, Ventura County Superior Court Judge Dusty Kawai sentenced twenty-three-year-old Sharbel Touma to three years and four months behind bars for a horrific high-speed wreck that took two innocent lives.

Touma previously pleaded guilty to two felony counts of gross vehicular manslaughter for the 2023 crash that killed Samuel Castro and Annette Gomez. The sentencing turned into a courtroom battleground as the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office fiercely objected to the judge’s lenient ruling, having aggressively argued that Touma deserved a much stricter sentence of five years and four months.

The deadly incident unfolded just after midnight on February 12, 2023. Mr. Castro was driving westbound on West Fifth Street in Oxnard with Ms. Gomez in the passenger seat. When Castro attempted a U-turn, Touma’s oncoming car blindsided them in a violent broadside collision.

When investigators pulled the black box data from Touma’s vehicle, the numbers were horrifying. The Event Data Recorder proved Touma was flying at 108.73 miles per hour just one single second before the impact. The catastrophic crash was caught entirely on nearby surveillance video, leaving zero doubt about the extreme velocity that instantly killed both victims.

**THE QUICK BREAKDOWN

• The Sentence: Sharbel Touma (23) of Oxnard was handed 3 years and 4 months in state prison for a double fatal crash.
• The Backlash: Prosecutors strongly objected to the light sentence, aggressively pushing the judge for a 5-year, 4-month prison term instead.
• The Fatal Speed: Black box data proved Touma was clocking 108.73 mph just one second before obliterating the victims' car.
• The Victims: Samuel Castro and Annette Gomez both died from the extreme impact on West Fifth Street in Oxnard.
• The Driving Ban: Touma was immediately taken into custody and is strictly banned from driving for the entire duration of his future parole.

The reality of this sentence is an absolute gut punch to the families of Samuel Castro and Annette Gomez.

Driving nearly 109 miles per hour on a city street isn't an accident—it is a conscious decision to treat a public road like a drag strip with total disregard for human life. Chief Deputy District Attorney Paul Nuñez slammed the decision, noting that the extreme speed and completely preventable nature of losing two lives demanded a much harsher punishment.

Let’s be completely real: three years and four months means Touma could be back out on the streets in a fraction of that time with good behavior, while two families are left with a lifetime of grief.