Tuesday, June 21, 2005 • Reno man receives 20-year sentence in death of Lassen High grad

Publisher’s note: This story originally appeared in the Tuesday, June 21, 2005 edition of the Lassen County Times.

The man convicted of driving under the influence in the accident that killed a Lassen High School graduate was sentenced to 20 years in Nevada State Prison.

Jonathan Hyde, 39, was sentenced on May 27 in Washoe County District Court to 240 months in prison with eligibility for parole in 53 months, according to Megan Rachow, a deputy district attorney for Washoe County.

He entered a guilty plea on Dec. 29, 2004, to one count of driving under the influence of a prohibited substance causing death and substantial bodily injury to two victims.

One victim, Kelly Tassi Berry, 24, a 1996 Lassen High School graduate and the daughter of Randy and Janice Tassi, of Susanville, was killed when the pick-up truck Hyde was driving hit her from behind. The accident occurred between Reno and Virginia City, Nevada on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2004. Her husband of four months, Storey County Firefighter Darin Berry suffered substantial bodily injury.

As the couple walked along Toll Road off Gold Run Drive near State Route 341 just before 8 p.m., a pickup truck, driven by Hyde, hit them from behind, according to a Storey County Fire Department media release.

Tassi Berry, who worked in Reno as a deputy court services officer for Washoe County, died at the scene. Her husband suffered significant leg injuries and was taken to Washoe Medical Center in Reno.

Hyde had been in a traffic accident earlier that day, according to a Reno Gazette-Journal report. He drove off the side of the road in Reno, flipping his car. He was treated for minor injuries at Washoe Medical Center.

Ninety minutes later, the Gazette-Journal reported, Hyde was driving a Toyota borrowed from a relative, when he hit the Berrys. Again he was released after treatment for minor injuries at Washoe Medical Center.

After a lengthy investigation, a warrant for Hyde’s arrest was issued in October 2004. Hyde turned himself in Thursday, Oct. 30.

He was charged with one count of driving under the influence of a prohibited substance causing death, driving under the influence of a prohibited substance causing substantial bodily harm, two counts of felony reckless driving and one count of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine.

He entered a guilty plea to one count of DUI causing death and injury and the remaining counts were dismissed in exchange for the plea, Rachow said.

Janice Tassi said only their faith saw the couple through the death of their daughter and the long criminal process that followed.

“Kelly was a beautiful daughter, sister and friend,” she said. “There is no greater gift in life than to love and be loved; we all miss that in Kelly. Every day for the rest of our lives we have to live with that loss. Life is about choices. Jonathan Hyde made a serious destructive choice that cost our daughter her life. The maximum sentence protects society awhile longer from a man and his drugs, at least this man. Randy and I are so grateful to live in a community that has offered so much love and support. We thank you for that. Our faith has seen us through. It has helped us to live again.”

Hyde was in custody at the time of his sentencing and was remanded to Nevada State Prison.