Allegedly Drunk Driver Is Charged With Murder

A woman who allegedly sped down Sherman Way while drunk and killed a man when she struck his car at a traffic signal was charged with murder Thursday, authorities said.

Susan Conkey Rhea, 37, of Sherman Oaks, was also charged with vehicular manslaughter while under the influence and driving with a license suspended for prior drunk driving convictions, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Martin Herscovitz.

Rhea’s arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday in Van Nuys Superior Court.

“She had the actual knowledge of how dangerous it was to drive under the influence because she was forced to attend three (drunk driving programs),” Herscovitz said about the unusual filing of murder in a drunk driving case.

After the accident, Rhea’s blood alcohol level was found to be more than triple the legal limit, said Herscovitz. “We are dealing with an extremely high level of intoxication,” he said.

On Monday, Rhea was driving west on Sherman Way at more than 80 m.p.h. in her Lincoln Mark VII when she plowed into a Ford Tempo driven by Jesus Berumen, 45, of Reseda, who was stopped at a traffic signal at Winnetka Avenue, police said.

Berumen’s car burst into flames, police said.

There were no skid marks to indicate that Rhea used her brakes before striking Berumen’s car, police said. She suffered only minor injuries, authorities said.

At least five witnesses watched Rhea’s car crash into Berumen’s vehicle, Herscovitz said.

“One of them was so shocked by what he saw when driving in the opposite direction (on Sherman Way) that he turned around to follow her and see what she would do,” said Herscovitz.

Rhea was arrested for drunk driving in 1988, 1992 and 1993, authorities said.