VISALIA, Calif. — Former Kennedy Elementary School Principal Blake Benham, 44, of Dinuba, has been sentenced to 23 years and 8 months in prison for a fatal DUI crash that claimed the lives of two women and left two others seriously injured.
The collision occurred on December 3, 2023, around 6:18 p.m., at the intersection of Road 56 and Avenue 430 in Dinuba. Benham was driving a Ford F-150 when he veered into oncoming traffic and struck a vehicle carrying four women head-on at a speed of 62 miles per hour.
The victims had been returning to Reedley after Christmas shopping in Tulare when the tragedy occurred.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Benham showed clear signs of intoxication at the scene. Officers detected a strong odor of alcohol, and a breathalyzer later confirmed his blood alcohol content (BAC) was over .15%, nearly twice the legal limit.
In May 2025, Benham pleaded guilty to:
Two felony counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated
Felony DUI causing injury with a BAC over .08%
As part of a plea deal, the court handed down the maximum sentence allowed under California law for these charges.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Noell Niayesh and investigated by the California Highway Patrol.
