Fatal Sonoma DUI Crash Leads to Maximum Sentence

At the conclusion of a hearing Tuesday afternoon in front of the Honorable Mark Urioste, the court sentenced Defendant Abdulhadi Awad to the maximum term of 12 years and 8 months in state prison for causing a deadly DUI crash that occurred on January 26, 2020 in the city of Sonoma. The crash resulted in the death of Jamie Narkunski and caused life-threatening injuries to his wife, Natalie Weiss. Judge Urioste told Awad that he had seen “no remorse” from Awad during the pendency of the case.

District Attorney Rodriguez stated, “We are thankful that this dangerous individual has finally been sentenced to state prison for a substantial period. Unfortunately, there was a real danger throughout this process that he could have been released to the streets without serving his sentence, and without any supervision. Increasingly, over the past several years the state has dramatically reduced the available resources to counties for the treatment and hospitalization of dangerous mentally ill defendants, all while stating publicly that mental health is one of their priorities. Whether it be through legislation shortening the available time to return incompetent defendants to competency, fining counties for declaring defendants mentally incompetent to stand trial or simply returning defendants to counties from the state hospitals in very short order declaring them ‘not restorable to competency, the shift has been dramatic, and at times dangerous. As in this case, we will continue to fight to keep the public safe. We have pushed for legislative change, and we have fought to have our voices heard through the conservatorship process. The safety of this community is my top concern, and I will continue to do everything in my power to work toward this end.”

The incident began when a concerned driver followed Awad after witnessing him driving erratically, swerving, and almost driving onto sidewalks. The driver watched Awad appear to fall asleep at a traffic light before accelerating recklessly through residential areas near West Spain Street in Sonoma. The driver called 911 and continued to follow Awad, observing him reach speeds of 90 to 100 miles per hour and narrowly avoiding multiple collisions. Awad then struck the rear end of another vehicle and fled the scene without stopping.

Awad continued driving until his BMW broadsided a Subaru occupied by Jamie Narkunski and Natalie Weiss at the intersection of 8th Street East and Napa Road. The couple had been in

Sonoma celebrating Weiss’ birthday. Jamie Narkunski was pronounced dead at the scene, and Natalie Weiss sustained critical injuries requiring helicopter evacuation. Their pet dog, Harold, had to be euthanized due to the extent of its injuries. Officers found Awad at the scene still in the driver’s seat of his vehicle. His blood alcohol content was .168, over twice the legal limit. At the time, Awad was on felony probation for a prior felony assault conviction.

Awad also had a long and troubling history of violence and substance abuse behind the wheel. In 2003 he sustained a DUI conviction in Napa County where his probation was terminated unsuccessfully due to alcohol violations. In 2005, he was found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGI) after he drove into gas pumps and other vehicles at a gas station in American Canyon, causing injuries and significant property damage. He was committed to the State Hospital and later released to community supervision. During his community supervision he was arrested multiple times for driving under the influence. The State Hospital later found Awad restored to sanity and released him from their supervision.

In December 2017, Awad was convicted of felony assault in Solano County after beating a man unconscious and breaking his nose in an unprovoked attack. He was placed on felony probation with terms including that he was not to consume alcohol. Awad remained on that grant of probation at the time of the fatal crash in 2020.

Following his guilty plea in 2020, the District Attorney’s Office recommended Awad serve the maximum sentence. However, before sentencing could be imposed, Awad was found incompetent to stand trial, and criminal proceedings were suspended. Despite efforts to restore his competency at the State Hospital, doctors ultimately opined that Awad was “unlikely to be restored.” Under California law this finding typically requires that criminal charges be dismissed, or that a civil conservatorship be pursued at the discretion of the Public Guardian.

In response, the District Attorney’s Office aggressively advocated for a “Murphy” conservatorship (a legal tool designed to confine dangerous, incompetent individuals in a secure facility for one-year periods) to be pursued by the Public Guardian. Over multiple years, this office continued to press for public safety by advocating the continued renewal of Awad’s conservatorship, and his placement in a secure facility. In December of 2025, Awad was finally found “restored to competency” such that he could be sentenced in the criminal court for his crimes committed in 2020.

Tuesday’s sentencing marks the conclusion of a lengthy and complex legal process. The District Attorney’s Office remains committed to seeking justice for victims and protecting the community from individuals who pose a continuing danger.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Robert Rasp.