Nicole Packer, who was charged with the murder of two teenagers while driving drunk in Morongo Valley more than 4 years ago, entered guilty pleas on lesser charges on Tuesday and was sentenced to more than 14 years in prison.
In San Bernardino’s County Joshua Tree Court, Packer pled guilty to two counts of Gross Vehicular Manslaughter While Intoxicated with enhancements for great bodily injury. She was initially charged with two counts of murder, to which she pleaded “not guilty.”
Packer, a 35 year-old resident of Morongo Valley, was arrested in December 2020 on murder charges after an incident on June 12, 2019, Packer was driving a 2018 white Ford Fiesta westbound on Highway 62 just west of Rosella Drive at a high rate of speed when her car crashed into a 2018 Toyota Prius that was turning into the Circle K gas station.
Two teenagers in the back seat of the Prius, Hart Campbell, 14, and Ruby Campbell,17, both died at local hospitals a few hours later. Their parents, Colin Campbell and Gail Lerner, were seriously injured, as was Packer. It took 18 months for the District Attorney to investigate the case, resulting in warrants for Packer’s arrest on two counts of murder, as well as driving under the influence causing injury, and causing great bodily harm or death to multiple victims, driving with a suspended license, and driving more than 20 miles per hour over the speed limit while DUI.
Packer will be back in court for a restitution hearing on March 7.
