The quiet night of Saturday, August 2, 2025, turned into a heart-wrenching tragedy in West Sacramento, California, when a hit-and-run crash stole the lives of two vibrant 17-year-old girls, Layla Chrissa Clemons and Jaea Chatman. The incident, which unfolded at the bustling intersection of Jefferson Boulevard and Bevan Road, has left families shattered, a community grieving, and a city demanding justice and change.
It was just after 9:00 p.m. when the West Sacramento Police Department received a chilling call about a vehicle collision involving pedestrians. Officers arrived to a scene of unimaginable sorrow: two young women, Layla and Jaea, lay lifeless, struck down by a driver who fled into the night. The Yolo County Coroner’s Office later confirmed the identities of the victims, two inseparable teens whose dreams and laughter were silenced far too soon.
Layla Chrissa Clemons was a radiant soul, her smile a beacon of warmth that could brighten the darkest day. A senior at Natomas High School, she was a creative spirit with a passion for the arts, dreaming of a future in design. Her kindness spilled over into her community, where she volunteered with a generosity that touched countless lives. “She had the biggest heart,” her grandmother, Stephanie Vallejos, said through tears. “She loved everybody and wanted to help everyone.” Layla’s loss has left a void that echoes through the lives of those who knew her.
Jaea Chatman, equally cherished, was a natural leader whose infectious laugh and boundless optimism lifted everyone around her. A recent graduate of Natomas High School, Jaea was preparing for her final year with excitement, her thoughtful nature and strength inspiring her peers. “I raised her,” her grandfather, Jerel Todd, shared with a heavy heart. “She was sweet, full of life.” Jaea and Layla, who were dating and described as inseparable, were riding a bike to a relative’s house that fateful night, taking a shortcut along Jefferson Boulevard that would tragically become their last journey.
The West Sacramento Police Department worked tirelessly through the night, piecing together evidence to identify the vehicle and driver responsible for this heinous act. By Sunday morning, with assistance from the Vacaville Police Department, they apprehended 71-year-old David Alison Walker of Fair Oaks. Walker now faces two counts of murder and two counts of hit-and-run causing injury or death, with an arraignment scheduled for August 6. “He hit them. He knew he hit them and fled. It’s despicable,” Stephanie Vallejos said, her voice trembling with grief and anger. Layla’s family is also preparing a wrongful death lawsuit, seeking accountability for the irreparable loss.
The tragedy has ignited a firestorm of grief and outrage in West Sacramento. Jefferson Boulevard, a two-lane road notorious for its lack of pedestrian lanes or lighting, has long been a concern for residents. “This isn’t the first tragedy here,” said Jeannette Carpenter, a local who recalled another fatal crash years ago involving a father and son. Neighbors describe cars speeding recklessly along the rural stretch, a danger now underscored by the deaths of Layla and Jaea. West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero has vowed to accelerate safety improvements, citing the city’s Vision Zero plan to eliminate traffic fatalities. A proposed 3,000-home development along Jefferson Boulevard includes plans to widen and upgrade the road, but for the families of Layla and Jaea, these changes come too late.
In the wake of this loss, the community has rallied with an outpouring of love. Vigils are being organized, where classmates, friends, and strangers alike will gather to honor the girls’ vibrant spirits. GoFundMe campaigns and support drives have sprung up to ease the financial burden of funeral costs, while memorials bloom at the crash site, a poignant reminder of two lives cut short. “I want something done on that street—sidewalks, lights, anything to keep this from happening again,” said Layla’s mother, Melissa Vallejos, her voice a mix of resolve and heartbreak. She remembers her daughter as a kind soul who dreamed of becoming a nurse, a calling that reflected her desire to heal and uplift others.
As West Sacramento grapples with this profound loss, the memories of Layla and Jaea endure. They were more than victims—they were daughters, friends, dreamers, and beacons of hope. Their families, clinging to each other through unbearable pain, are determined to see justice served and lasting change made in their names. “You’re going to have to pay for this,” Jerel Todd said, addressing the accused driver. “You took two beautiful lives, and I hope your conscience is eating you alive.” For now, a community mourns, holding tight to the light of two girls whose hearts will forever shine in their memories.