Combined Trial Is Ordered for Mannes

A Superior Court judge Friday ordered one combined trial on misdemeanor charges of drunk driving and public intoxication for Diane Mannes, a Ventura woman who killed three youths 11 years ago while driving drunk.

Mannes was arrested in Camarillo on suspicion of drunk driving in August. She was arrested again two months later on suspicion of public intoxication.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Barbara Kim asked to have the drunk driving and public intoxication charges tried together, saying much of the evidence presented would be similar in both cases. But Mannes’ attorney, Jay Leiderman, argued that his client was entitled to a separate jury on each charge.

Despite her prior convictions for drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter in connection with the 1989 accident that took the lives of three young men, Mannes’ alleged offenses were filed as misdemeanors. Prosecutors said state law does not allow felonies more than 10 years old to be counted as prior offenses, forcing them to treat the new arrest like a first-time offense.

Linda Oxenreider, whose son Joshua was killed, said coming to court on Mannes’ new charges is like going back into a nightmare.

“She’s got to be stopped,” said Oxenreider, who is now state chairwoman of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and attended Friday’s court appearance.

Mannes is scheduled to go to trial on the two misdemeanor charges Feb. 6. She also faces a charge of failing to appear in court. Mannes could face up to 18 months in jail if convicted on the three charges.