Repeat DUI Offender Sentenced in Fatal DUI Crash that Killed Passenger

Published on April 20, 2026

On April 20, 2026, Kimsol Ban (45, of Fresno, CA) was sentenced to five years plus fifteen years to life in state prison after a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder and driving under the influence causing great bodily injury.

The sentence was imposed by the Honorable Gabriel L. Brickey of the Fresno County Superior Court, who presided over the trial.

The evidence presented at trial showed that on April 3, 2022, just before midnight, Ban was driving a Nissan Acura eastbound on Highway 168 near the McKinley Avenue off-ramp when he veered off the roadway, traveled down an embankment, and crashed into a tree.

Ban’s girlfriend, Sophal Srey, was seated in the front passenger seat, and his friend, Tithirry Chheang, was seated in the rear driver’s-side seat. Srey was ejected from the vehicle and suffered catastrophic injuries. She remained on life support for over two weeks before succumbing to her injuries on April 19, 2022. Chheang sustained serious injuries, including a fractured vertebra.

At trial, Ban testified that he had been at a party earlier that evening and chose to drive after consuming several beers and shots of Hennessy. Toxicology results showed his blood alcohol concentration was 0.377%, more than four times the legal limit.

The jury also heard testimony from Chheang, as well as several of Ban’s friends and family members.

Ban had a prior DUI conviction in 2011, during which he was advised by the court that driving under the influence and causing a death could result in a murder charge.

Following that conviction, he completed a three-month DUI program and attended the “Scared Stiff” program, where he was repeatedly warned about the dangers of impaired driving.

The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the California Highway Patrol for their thorough investigation and continued commitment to roadway safety.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Christopher Moss with assistance from Senior District Attorney Investigator Randall Paulson. It was handled as part of the Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program, funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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