VENTURA, Calif. — An Oak Park driver has admitted guilt in a devastating high-speed collision that claimed the lives of a married couple in Newbury Park, public safety officials announced Monday.
The formal guilty plea was announced by Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko following court proceedings in Ventura County Superior Court.
The defendant, identified as 22-year-old Neil Liam Reb (born November 7, 2003) of Oak Park, entered a guilty plea on Friday, August 28, 2026, to two counts of felony gross vehicular manslaughter without intoxication. Additionally, Reb admitted to a special legal allegation that the crime constitutes a serious felony under California state law.
Fatal High-Speed Intersection Collision
According to crash investigators and official court documents released by the District Attorney's Office under case number 2025016279, the fatal incident occurred on May 6, 2025, at approximately 4:00 p.m.
Reb was operating a 2024 Jeep Wrangler when he broadsided a Volkswagen Tiguan occupied by Alejandro and Maria Ramirez at the intersection of Via Las Brisas and Calle Del Prado in Newbury Park. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ramirez sustained catastrophic injuries in the impact and were pronounced dead as a result of the crash.
An extensive collision reconstruction investigation conducted by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office determined that Reb was driving recklessly in the residential area, traveling at nearly double the posted speed limit of 45 mph prior to entering the intersection.
Deputies arrested Reb on June 30, 2025, following the completion of the sheriff's office investigation.
Prosecutorial Statement and Upcoming October Sentencing
Following the guilty plea, prosecutors highlighted the devastating impact of reckless driving in suburban neighborhoods.
"Mr. and Mrs. Ramirez lost their lives because of a reckless decision to drive at an extremely dangerous speed, and their family will have to live with that loss forever," stated Supervising Senior Deputy District Attorney Blake Heller. "This guilty plea holds Mr. Reb accountable for his actions and the tragic consequences they caused."
Investigative Details, Multi-Jurisdictional Oversight, and Jury Verdict
Because the criminal acts began in Los Angeles County before continuing at a shared home in Thousand Oaks, special jurisdictional statutes applied during the prosecution. Under California law, when continuous sexual abuse offenses occur across multiple county lines involving the same victim and defendant, charges may be consolidated and tried within a single county court jurisdiction to minimize trauma for the young victim.
During the trial, prosecutors from the Sexual Assault Unit presented witness testimony, physical evidence, and investigative findings establishing the timeline of the offenses. Following deliberations, the Ventura County jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict on the primary felony charge.
Court records show that Reb pleaded guilty to the following charges under the California Penal Code:
- Two Counts of PC 192(c)(1): Gross Vehicular Manslaughter (Felony, Non-Alcohol)
- PC 1192.8(a): Special Allegation that the Crime is a Serious Felony
Reb currently remains out of custody on a $50,000 bail bond while awaiting his formal judgment. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 9, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Department 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court.
Community Traffic Safety Resources
Reckless driving, excessive speeding, and failure to yield at suburban intersections remain leading causes of severe injury and fatal motor vehicle collisions across Ventura County. Local traffic safety units consistently urge drivers to obey posted speed limits and exercise heightened vigilance near residential neighborhoods and school zones.
Members of the public with questions regarding this case can contact District Attorney Communications Manager Joey Buttitta at (805) 767-3400 or via email at Joey.Buttitta@venturacounty.gov. Official releases can be reviewed directly on the Ventura County District Attorney's Office newsroom.