Murder charges have been filed by the Glenn County District Attorney’s Office against the suspect in the alleged DUI from March 2017.

Formal charges were filed on Thursday against Shawntre Tillis, who was 24 at the time, of Antioch, and include two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and four counts of DUI alcohol or drugs causing injury, according to court documents.

Tillis is accused of causing a crash when he was driving a 2002 Acura southbound on I-5 at around 8:41 a.m. on March 12, 2017, north of County Road 57 in Willows, at over 93 mph and allowed the car to drift off the road into the center median, according to Officer Paul Gullick of Willows Area CHP. 

This caused him to lose control of the vehicle and strike a Toyota Rav-4 driven by Chris Dyrdahl, 61, of Washington. Dyrdahl lost control of his vehicle and traveled across the center median and into a northbound lane, essentially causing a head-on collision with a Honda Odyssey operated by Isidro Garcia, 26, of Oregon. 

In an attempt to avoid colliding with both Garcia and Dyrdahl, a fourth vehicle turned in the center median and hit oleander bushes. Dydrahl’s vehicle rolled and landed on its roof while Garcia’s vehicle rolled and landed on its wheels. Garcia and his 2-year-old son, Fabian Garcia, died on impact.  

Dydrahl and his wife, Jeanine Dyrdahl, 59, suffered major injuries and were transported to Enloe Medical Center. 

The other four passengers in the Odyssey suffered minor injuries, such as seatbelt burns and bruising.

Tillis’ passenger, Dylan Covarrubias, 22, of Suisun City, suffered minor injuries and refused transport. 

Tillis was transported to Glenn Medical Center with minor injuries and was arrested and booked into Glenn County Jail. 

Earlier that morning, Tillis is accused of being involved in a hit-and-run collision in Chico. Pieces of his vehicle were recovered at the scene and were matched to his Acura. He was suspected of doing well over 100 mph when leaving that collision.

On May 26, Tillis was arrested at a Chico house when police were breaking up a party. 

He is accused of carrying a concealed weapon in his waistband and was booked into Butte County Jail for possession of a concealed firearm in public, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and outstanding warrants, according to a press release.

There is currently no court date set for his DUI arrest.

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