VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER CHARGES FILED – DA WARRANT FOR DEFENDANT’S ARREST CLEARED BY COURT
The District Attorney filed criminal charges last week against Brian Bentim Blickenstaff for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in violation of Penal Code section 191.5, felony DUI with injury under Vehicle Code sections 23153(a) and (b), and enhancements for an elevated blood alcohol content, inflicting great bodily injury, and injuring multiple victims. Accompanied with the criminal complaint by the District Attorney in support of an arrest warrant.
The warrant issued by Lassen County Superior Court Judge Mark R. Nareau in the amount of $150,000. The next day, an attorney claiming to represent Blickenstaff filed a motion in court to recall the warrant. The motion indicated he served the District Attorney a copy of the motion on October 19, 2026 (the same day the warrant issued) “via fax”. The motion also stated that the attorney served discovery demand on the District Attorney, again “via fax” on September 22, 2026. A review of our office incoming fax logs indicate no faxes were received on September 22, 2026 and the only fax we received on October 19 was a 1 page document from an unknown sender, which the defense motion was more than.
Nevertheless, the court permitted the filing of the motion and added it to the October 21, 2026 calendar – with no notice to the prosecutor, the next of kin of the decedent, or the surviving victim – and heard the motion over the prosecution’s objection. The judge (a visiting judge who appeared over Zoom) recalled the warrant, rejected the prosecutor’s request to discuss Blickenstaff’s custodial status, and released Blickenstaff on his own recognizance, and scheduled an arraignment for December 2, 2026.
The District Attorney will be filing appropriate motions to address this and has been in contact with the decedent’s next of kin. This was a bizarre process for the court to follow, one which we do not understand or find acceptable.
Blickenstaff is only charged with allegations at this time and is presumed innocent until pled or proven guilty.
