DMV renewed reckless driver’s license, then resisted turning over records
By Main Street Independent
The California Department of Motor Vehicles renewed Kostas Linardos’ driver’s license about a year after Placer County prosecutors filed felony vehicular manslaughter charges in a fatal 2022 crash.
Placer County prosecutors sought DMV records after the charges were filed, and the DMV fought to keep the information secret without a court order.
When the dispute reached court, the DMV’s attorney told the judge the agency had no records of any investigation into the fatal crash and had not held any hearing before renewing the license.
Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said the DMV’s record-secrecy fight suggests the agency could have been more active in preventing deadly driving.
The DMV told a reporter it opened an investigation into the Linardos incident and the underlying facts.
Kostas Linardos, Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire, California Department of Motor Vehicles, DMV attorney Marie Yelavich, Placer County prosecutors, Streets For All policy director Marc T. Vukcevich, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Judge Michael Jones
Themes
accountability of government agencies, vehicle safety and crash investigations, court records and records requests, transparency and evidentiary disclosure