Australian tourist who killed Bay Area couple sentenced to 2 months in jail

(KRON) -- An Australian tourist who killed a San Francisco Bay Area couple after he forgot which side of the road Americans drive on was recently sentenced by a judge.

Luke Samnuel Nardini, 32, of Narrogin, Australia, was driving a BMW the wrong-way on Highway 84 near La Honda on September 1, 2023, prosecutors said. Motorists travel on the left side of the road in his country. As Nardini drove eastbound in the westbound lane, his BMW collided head-on into another car, according to investigators.

Two passengers in the other car, Linda Davis and her husband Jack Davis, were killed. The victims were both 80 years old and La Honda residents.

Nardini was set to stand trial last month. The trial was called off after San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Jackson offered the Australian a plea deal. Nardini accepted the judge's offer, and in exchange, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.

On Friday, Judge Jackson sentenced Nardini to serve 60 days in county jail with 10 days credit for time served. As part of his sentence, Nardini must give a presentation speaking about the impacts of bad driving in front of three high schools and the San Mateo County Coroner's Office's Save A Youth program.

Nardini is scheduled to surrender to county jail on November 1 and begin serving his sentence. He was represented by Redwood City-based defense attorneys Geoff Carr and May Mar.