Sonoma State University is mourning the tragic loss of Kevin Brandon Patland, a 23-year-old fifth-year student killed in a broadside collision with a drunk driver on Browns Valley Road in Napa County, at about 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 2.
According to the police report, Patland was driving a Chevrolet Camaro and was attempting to make a left turn from Woodlawn Drive when he was struck by an Infiniti G37.
As a result of the crash, Patland suffered serious injuries and was treated on scene before being transported to Queen of the Valley Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8 p.m., according to a statement provided to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat by Henry Wofford, a Napa County Sheriff’s spokesman.
Napa Police Sgt. Kristofer Jenny told the Napa Valley Register that officers conducted field sobriety tests on the scene and arrested the driver of the Infiniti, 31-year-old Gary Lindstrom, and charged him with felony DUI in connection with the crash. The charges are tied to injuries his passenger, an unidentified Milpitas woman, sustained in the accident, and more charges could be filed in relation to Patland’s death, but authorities are awaiting toxicology reports and the conclusion of the investigation.
Patland was a business administration student at SSU on track to graduate this spring. His dedication made him a star in the Wine Business Program, and he received a Certificate in Wine Entrepreneurship to better prepare for work in his family’s Napa Valley wine business, Patland Estate Vineyards.
According to social media profiles, he was a member of Alpha Sigma Phi and the SSU Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu club. Patland described himself as a “fitness freak, car fanatic, and co-founder of Patland Vineyards.” His obituary, published by the Sinai Memorial Chapel, remembers a loving, compassionate friend and family member: “The little things meant the world to him. He wanted those around him to be happy…He wore his heart on his sleeve.”
The campus was notified by email from Dr. Wm Gregory Sawyer, Vice President of Student Affairs. Dr. Sawyer spoke for the university and students by “expressing our deep condolences to his family and friends.”
The tragic news is a reminder of the dangers associated with alcohol consumption. The National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration, NHTSA, reports that approximately 30 people die every day in drunk-driving related accidents, equating to one death every 50 minutes.
According to an article published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, researchers estimate that each year “1,825 college students between the age of 18-24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes.”
Help is available to those suffering from grief and emotional pain. Counseling services are available on-campus at SSU Counseling and Psychological Services. The office is located behind Salazar Hall, building 17A. Call (707) 664-2153 for more information.
