Oakdale woman has first court hearing on charge of murdering daughter in DUI crash
Juliette Acosta of Oakdale declined to enter a plea Tuesday to murder and other charges involving her young daughter’s death in a crash.
Acosta, 26, is charged with murder, drunk driving and other counts in the March 9 death of Reagan Herrin, 4. The arraignment was postponed to May 7 at the request of defense attorney Gil Somera.
Acosta wore a jail uniform with red and white stripes and had her wrists shackled in her brief first appearance in Stanislaus Superior Court. Judge Valli Israels ordered her to remain in county jail on a no-bail warrant.
About 40 family members filled the courtroom but declined to speak with reporters afterward. At least one person wore a shirt that read “Justice for Reagan” around a photo of the child. The same image is on a GoFundMe page seeking donations on behalf of her father, Gage Herrin. The appeal also notes that excess money will go to preventing such deaths in the future.
Somera said in court that he needed time to review “a substantial amount” of information from the prosecution. He plans to seek bail for Acosta at the next hearing.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Wendell Emerson, the office spokesman, declined to comment Tuesday.
The crash was reported at about 11 p.m. March 8 on Arlberg Road where it ends at Canal Bank Road and the Turlock Main Canal. The California Highway Patrol said that after Acosta had escaped the car, Reagan was stuck in her car seat inside the fully submerged vehicle. She was removed by a sheriff’s deputy and a great-uncle who lives nearby, but she died the next day at a Modesto hospital, the CHP said.
Acosta had nearly triple the legal level of alcohol in her blood at the time, a DA news release said last week. She was initially booked on a felony drunk driving charge and released on bail.
The DA claims that Acosta was preparing to flee when she was arrested April 10 at a downtown San Francisco hotel. Her father, Clifford Acosta Jr., was detained on suspicion of aiding her flight.
Somera could not be reached immediately after the arraignment. He told The Modesto Bee by email last week that the case should not be prosecuted as murder. He also said Acosta intended to surrender later on the morning she was arrested.
“Such an accusation is not only unfounded but appears intended to inflame public opinion and provoke undue scorn,” Somera said.
Acosta faces up to life in prison if convicted of murder. The other charges are vehicular manslaughter, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, permitting a child to suffer under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury or death, as well as resisting, delaying or obstructing a public officer, peace officer or emergency medical technician.
This story was originally published April 15, 2025 at 3:47 PM.
