Nord Avenue manslaughter plea

A Chico man faces up to 10 years in prison for the 2016 traffic death of a pedestrian on Nord Avenue.

Bryan Dawson, 27, pleaded no contest Dec. 31 to a felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated stemming from his role in the Dec. 7, 2016, death of 20-year-old Maria Flores, Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said.

Dawson (pictured) was charged shortly after the 2016 incident, but his case had stalled because of a pretrial dispute involving an allegation that he left the scene. Ultimately, an appeals court sided with a local judge who found Dawson had been so drunk he did not immediately know he was in a collision, thus barring prosecutors from charging him with a hit-and-run enhancement.

Dawson’s sentencing is scheduled for March 4.