A Sacramento jury has awarded $32.1 million to the children of Juan Carlos Rodriguez, who was killed alongside his brother Lionel Rodriguez in December 2022 by Sacramento Police Detective Jonathan Nangle while driving to work. “I think ultimately the jury understood the magnitude of the loss that these two children suffered,” John Demas, the attorney representing the family, said. “Their dad was extremely close, very present, loved them tremendously.” Juan Carlos Rodriguez was on the side of Interstate 5 near Sutterville Road helping his brother, who had just run out of gas, when Nangle crossed over the solid white line in an unmarked police car and struck them. Both brothers died. “This is a police officer who’s trained and sworn to protect, and his negligence killed two people, and he had to be held accountable,” Demas said. Nangle was charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter. “He was sentenced to some community service,” Demas said. Demas explained that Jessica Romero, the mother of Rodriguez’s children, then pursued the case in civil court. “It was important for her to let the justice system play out through the civil case,” Demas said. Last week, the jury returned a unanimous verdict, ordering the city of Sacramento to pay $32 million to Rodriguez’s children, now 10 and 13 years old. A spokesperson for the city of Sacramento called the case a profound tragedy and said the city remains deeply saddened by the loss of a father and the impact on his two children. “Because the city accepted responsibility and admitted liability in this motor vehicle accident, the role of the jury was specifically to exercise its duty within the judicial system to provide an award of just and fair compensation. The jury has now discharged that duty. We respect the judicial process and the service of the members of the jury,” city spokesperson Gabby Miller said. Miller said the final verdict of $32 million was reduced from the $64 million that the plaintiff’s attorney originally sought. In a statement, Jessica Romero expressed gratitude for the jury’s decision. “No verdict can ever bring Carlos back or replace what my children lost,” Romero said. “But this decision acknowledges the depth of that loss. Carlos was an incredible father, and our children deserved to have their dad grow old with them. I am grateful that the jury truly saw him and honored what he meant to our family.”This was Nangle’s second crash in two years. In April 2021, the city paid more than $15,000 to settle another case involving him. Sacramento police confirmed that Nangle remains employed with the department.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
A Sacramento jury has awarded $32.1 million to the children of Juan Carlos Rodriguez, who was killed alongside his brother Lionel Rodriguez in December 2022 by Sacramento Police Detective Jonathan Nangle while driving to work.
“I think ultimately the jury understood the magnitude of the loss that these two children suffered,” John Demas, the attorney representing the family, said. “Their dad was extremely close, very present, loved them tremendously.”
Juan Carlos Rodriguez was on the side of Interstate 5 near Sutterville Road helping his brother, who had just run out of gas, when Nangle crossed over the solid white line in an unmarked police car and struck them. Both brothers died.
“This is a police officer who’s trained and sworn to protect, and his negligence killed two people, and he had to be held accountable,” Demas said.
Nangle was charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter.
“He was sentenced to some community service,” Demas said.
Demas explained that Jessica Romero, the mother of Rodriguez’s children, then pursued the case in civil court.
“It was important for her to let the justice system play out through the civil case,” Demas said.
Last week, the jury returned a unanimous verdict, ordering the city of Sacramento to pay $32 million to Rodriguez’s children, now 10 and 13 years old.
A spokesperson for the city of Sacramento called the case a profound tragedy and said the city remains deeply saddened by the loss of a father and the impact on his two children.
“Because the city accepted responsibility and admitted liability in this motor vehicle accident, the role of the jury was specifically to exercise its duty within the judicial system to provide an award of just and fair compensation. The jury has now discharged that duty. We respect the judicial process and the service of the members of the jury,” city spokesperson Gabby Miller said.
Miller said the final verdict of $32 million was reduced from the $64 million that the plaintiff’s attorney originally sought.
In a statement, Jessica Romero expressed gratitude for the jury’s decision.
“No verdict can ever bring Carlos back or replace what my children lost,” Romero said. “But this decision acknowledges the depth of that loss. Carlos was an incredible father, and our children deserved to have their dad grow old with them. I am grateful that the jury truly saw him and honored what he meant to our family.”
This was Nangle’s second crash in two years. In April 2021, the city paid more than $15,000 to settle another case involving him.
Sacramento police confirmed that Nangle remains employed with the department.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel