DINUBA – A former Dinuba elementary school principal faces life in prison if convicted of the multiple charges filed against him for his involvement in a fatal car collision just south of Reedley late last year.
The Tulare County District Attorney’s Office is charging Dinuba resident Blake Benham, 43, with multiple counts of murder, manslaughter and driving under the influence, all related to a DUI collision that took place Dec. 3, 2023. According to an Aug. 14 press release, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) arrested Benham on Wednesday without incident, and the DA’s office anticipates an arraignment hearing will be scheduled within the week.
At the time of the collision, Benham was in his third year as principal of Kennedy Elementary School in Dinuba. Following the incident, Dinuba Unified School District placed Benham on administrative leave; an interim principal is currently in place.
Benham is being charged with two counts of murder, two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, two counts of driving while under the influence causing injury with a blood alcohol level over 0.15%, causing great bodily injury to two additional victims and causing injury to multiple victims.
Two adults from Reedley, a mother and daughter, died on the scene of the Dec. 3, 2023, crash, which took place along Road 56 just north of Avenue 430. At that time, Benham was driving his 2021 Ford F150 southbound on Road 56 while Anselmo Pasillas, 55, was driving northbound. Benham’s vehicle moved into the northbound lane and struck Pasillas’ head-on. Pasillas and the surviving passenger sustained major injuries and were transported to a hospital in Fresno.
The CHP Visalia Area Central Division is investigating the case, according to the DA’s office.
