FRESNO COUNTY, CA (December 1, 2025) — A repeat drunk driver has been charged with murder following a crash earlier this month that killed a 17-year-old boy. The victim was identified as Christian Crabb.
Accident Details: According to the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, 27-year-old Daniel Lemus was driving eastbound on Manning Avenue near South Mendocino Avenue just after 1:00 a.m. on November 7 when he rear-ended a vehicle stopped at a red light.
Lemus left the scene and drove for another two miles before crashing into a Ford Mustang at the intersection of South Mendocino and East Rose Avenue. Crabb was driving the Mustang and was transported to a nearby hospital where he later died on November 10.
An investigation by the California Highway Patrol determined Lemus was under the influence of alcohol during both crashes, with a blood alcohol concentration above .15%. He was arrested on November 25 and remains in custody.
This is not Lemus’ first fatal crash. In 2019, he was charged with vehicular manslaughter in a crash that killed an 8-year-old boy in Reedley. If convicted, Lemus faces a maximum sentence of 15 years to life in prison. He is scheduled for arraignment on December 1.
Investigation: The California Highway Patrol investigated both collisions caused by Lemus on the night of November 7. Authorities determined that Lemus’s blood alcohol concentration exceeded .15%, nearly twice the legal limit of .08%.
The investigation revealed that Lemus rear-ended one vehicle at a red light, fled that scene, and then drove another two miles before colliding with Crabb’s Mustang. The hit-and-run aspect combined with the subsequent fatal crash demonstrates the danger Lemus posed on the roadways that night.
Legal Considerations: California prosecutors can charge repeat DUI offenders with murder under the state’s “Watson murder” rule when they cause fatal crashes. This doctrine applies when a defendant with prior DUI convictions receives warnings about the deadly consequences of drunk driving, then kills someone while driving under the influence again.
Lemus’s 2019 vehicular manslaughter conviction for killing an 8-year-old provided that warning. By choosing to drive drunk again and killing another person, he demonstrated the “implied malice” required for a murder charge rather than just manslaughter.
The murder charge carries significantly harsher penalties than vehicular manslaughter—15 years to life in prison compared to shorter sentences. This reflects society’s judgment that repeat offenders who ignore prior warnings deserve more severe punishment.
Crabb’s family can pursue a wrongful death claim separately from the criminal case. These civil claims seek compensation for funeral expenses, Crabb’s pain and suffering before death, and the devastating loss of their son’s future. The criminal conviction can serve as evidence of liability in the civil case.
Hit-and-run behavior after the first crash shows consciousness of guilt and compounded the danger by allowing Lemus to continue driving while impaired, ultimately leading to Crabb’s death.
Our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Christian Crabb as they mourn this preventable tragedy.
Source: FOX26