LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. — What should have been a special anniversary evening for Stanley Isaacs and his wife ended in tragedy when the couple was struck by a car while crossing the street after dinner.
Isaacs, 60, was walking with his wife shortly after they finished their anniversary meal at a nearby restaurant on Aug. 11, 2022. Just after 9:30 p.m., a Volkswagen Jetta driven by then-18-year-old Sysillia Kianna Morrison Montes De Oca slammed into the couple.
Isaacs suffered catastrophic injuries and was later pronounced dead. His wife was also injured but survived the crash.
Instead of stopping to help, prosecutors said Montes De Oca continued driving away from the scene, leaving the injured couple behind.
The case would later become a criminal prosecution that focused not only on the deadly collision but also on what happened in the moments afterward.
Prosecutors Detail Devastating Injuries
According to a courtroom report from the Orange County Register, Isaacs suffered an internal decapitation, a skull fracture, a snapped spine and what prosecutors described as “smashed ribs.”
The injuries underscored the force of the collision as investigators pieced together what happened that night.
Montes De Oca was eventually convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter, hit-and-run with serious injury and failing to stop at a hit-and-run in connection with Isaacs’ death.
During closing arguments, Deputy District Attorney Justin Kim told jurors that the incident was more than simply a momentary driving error.
“It was not an ordinary mistake,” Kim said, according to the Register.
Driver Allegedly Searched for Crash News
Prosecutors also presented details about Montes De Oca’s actions after the collision.
After leaving the scene, she reportedly searched for news stories about fatal hit-and-run crashes. She also allegedly returned to the crash location but did not turn herself in at that time.
Authorities said she had smoked marijuana earlier in the day and reportedly told other people in the vehicle that she was speeding up moments before the crash.
Montes De Oca also had a friend hide the Volkswagen, according to the case details. About two weeks after the deadly crash, she ultimately turned herself in to police.
Defense Says Driver Panicked
Montes De Oca’s defense attorney offered a different explanation during closing arguments, reportedly telling jurors that his client panicked after the crash and left because of pressure from friends.
The defense also pointed to the fact that Montes De Oca eventually surrendered to police.
Her attorney argued that it was never definitively established exactly how fast the vehicle was traveling when it struck the couple.
The jury nevertheless convicted Montes De Oca on the charges related to the fatal collision and hit-and-run.
Family Remembers Stanley Isaacs
Beyond the courtroom, Isaacs’ family has remembered him as a deeply loved husband, father and grandfather.
His stepdaughter described him in a GoFundMe as a “loving father, grandfather, brother, son and husband.”
She also recalled the impression he made whenever he entered a room, describing his smile and the joy he brought to the people around him.
“My step dad was one of a kind, when he walked into any room you couldn’t miss his gracious smile. He never failed to bring joy to the people in his lives. He is loved by so many people, he was unforgettable,” she wrote.
For Isaacs’ family, the night that was supposed to mark another anniversary together instead became a devastating loss.
Montes De Oca is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13. The sentencing will mark another step in a case that began with a couple simply trying to make their way home after an anniversary dinner.
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