PACIFIC PALISADES—Marguerite Dao Vuong, 67, and her husband, Michael Vuong, also 67, were ordered on October 20 to stand trial in the alleged hit and run that killed David Maccabee Pregerson. Pregerson, who was a Pali High graduate, was a recent UCLA graduate and an aspiring film producer.
While walking home from a bar in the early morning on December 27, 2013, Pregerson was struck by a car, which was allegedly driven by Marguerite Dao Vuong. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Pregerson’s body had been left at the scene located on the 600 block of Chautauqua Boulevard, west of Sunset Boulevard. He remained in critical condition until he died from his injuries four days later, on New Year’s Eve.
Pregerson’s father, Dean Pregerson, is a U.S. District Judge and his grandfather Harry Pregerson, was a 9th Circuit Court judge.
When investigators began to run of out of leads, David’s parents and Councilman Mike Bonin implemented a $100,000 reward for clues that would lead to the suspects’ arrest. It remains uncertain, whether the reward lead to the suspects’ arrests.
In response to the news of the suspects’ arrests, Ben Mandel, David’s friend and fraternity brother, told Canyon News that “Good justice needs to be served…acts like that should never go unpunished.”
Marguerite is being charged with one count of leaving the scene of an accident causing death, while Michael Vuong is charged with one count of accessory to hit-and-run causing death.
According to the District Attorney’s office, Marguerite faces four years in prison if convicted; if her husband is convicted, he faces up to three years in county jail. The couple is scheduled for an arraignment on November 3.
