Exclusive: Man who killed CalTrans worker with car enters no contest plea

A San Francisco man who fatally struck a CalTrans worker with his car faces more than nine years in custody as part of a plea agreement reached with county prosecutors this week.

On Tuesday, 31-year-old Taje Jakkar Holliman entered a plea of no contest to eight criminal counts, ranging from a misdemeanor charge of driving without a license to more-serious vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run charges.

Holliman was arrested on June 3 after he drove his Mazda sedan on the shoulder of westbound Interstate 80 in rural Vacaville. He struck and killed 51-year-old CalTrans maintenance worker Quanda McGadney with his vehicle, then fled the scene. He was apprehended by a California Highway Patrol officer in front of a business a short time later.

In court records reviewed by Solano NewsNet, prosecutors say Holliman’s blood tested positive for methamphetamine at the time of his arrest. An amended criminal complaint filed with the court included a felony vehicular manslaughter charge based on the positive drug test.

The complaint also said Holliman was found in possession of heroin and another controlled substance at the time of his arrest, as well as a firearm and ammunition. He was initially charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, though prosecutors agreed to reduce those charges as part of his plea agreement because he was a minor at the time of his felony convictions.

As part of the plea agreement reached this week, Holliman faces up to six years in state prison and 3.5 years in county jail. He will be eligible for parole after serving three years in state prison.

Holliman waived his right to a jury trial and accepted the plea deal on Tuesday after entering a plea of no contest to the charges. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20.