PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 4, 2026
Wrong-Way Drunk Driver Sentenced to Life in Prison for Crash That Killed 20-Year-Old Gabriela Gonzales
CANYON COUNTY, Idaho — Kaleb Lancaster has been sentenced to life in prison with 26 years before becoming eligible for parole for the drunk-driving crash that killed 20-year-old Gabriela Gonzales and injured two others earlier this year.
On February 6, 2026, Lancaster got behind the wheel of his Ford F-250 with a blood alcohol content of .253—more than three times the legal limit—and drove the wrong way down Interstate 84 between Nampa and Caldwell. He struck a sedan driven by Gonzales’ boyfriend, killing Gonzales, who was a passenger in the vehicle, and seriously injured her boyfriend. Lancaster also injured another individual in a different vehicle.
At sentencing, members of Gonzales’ family delivered emotional victim impact statements. “Not only did Lancaster take her life, he completely destroyed our whole family,” Gonzales’ sister told the Court. “She had a beautiful soul.”
Deputy Prosecutor Virginia Bond asked the Court to sentence Lancaster to life in prison with 35 years fixed. “He stole Gabriela’s life,” Bond told the Court. “This is every parent’s worst nightmare.”
Lancaster’s attorney asked the Court to impose a 30-year sentence with parole eligibility after 10 years. Ultimately, Judge VanderVelde imposed a life sentence. Under the terms of the sentence, Lancaster will not be eligible for parole for 26 years. “This is not a wrong that can be cured or fixed. She is gone and we cannot bring her back,” Judge VanderVelde said.
Canyon County Prosecutor Chris Boyd thanked the Idaho State Police for their investigation into the case. “This defendant’s selfish decision to drink and drive stole the life of a beautiful young woman with her whole life ahead of her,” said Boyd. “No sentence can ever bring Gabriela back to her loved ones, but this sentence sends a strong message that drunk drivers will not be tolerated in our community.”
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