Released Prisoner Facing Manslaughter Charges for Fatal Car Crash

FRESNO – Walter Levon McDaniel will be facing vehicular manslaughter charges after he allegedly caused a deadly accident while driving a stolen vehicle.

Walter Levon McDaniel

Fresno police arrested 36-year-old McDaniel for the crash that happened last week. McDaniel was at the wheel of a stolen car when he allegedly ran a stop sign and crashed into a car driven by 55-year-old Ernest Grant at Marks and North avenues. McDaniel had two passengers with him in the stolen car – a woman in her 40s and a 13-year-old boy, according to police.

Grant, the driver of the other car, died in the collision.

Police say McDaniel was driving under the influence and running from police at the time of the accident.

The accident might never have happened had McDaniel been behind bars where it appeared he should have been. McDaniel was being held in Fresno County Jail, and was wanted in Madera County on a $100,000 warrant.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Department sent Madera County officials a teletype letting them know that they would be releasing McDaniel from custody if he was not transferred to the Madera jail. When Fresno officials did not hear from Madera officials, they released McDaniel on July 6, according to the Fresno sheriff’s department.

Manuel Perez, chief of the Madera County Department of Corrections, said that the department “is committed to finding out exactly what took place,” to determine how McDaniel ended up released instead of transferred.

McDaniel is currently in Fresno County Jail facing charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, DUI causing injury, child abuse, and unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle.

Read more:

CBS47: Several Charges Files Against McDaniel

KMPH: Man Held in Fatal Crash Had Been Released