Nearly six months after a fiery crash took the lives of three
Hollister teens and severely injured a fourth, a detailed
investigation by the California Highway Patrol is finished and in
the hands of the district attorney to determine whether charges
will be pressed against the sole survivor.
Hollister – Nearly six months after a fiery crash took the lives of three Hollister teens and severely injured a fourth, a detailed investigation by the California Highway Patrol is finished and in the hands of the district attorney to determine whether charges will be pressed against the sole survivor.
The CHP’s Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) compiled an in-depth report of the teens’ actions in the 24 hours leading up to the crash that occurred in early October of last year. The report, which is more than 100 pages long and includes three detailed diagrams regarding the logistics of the crash, was sent to District Attorney John Sarsfield’s office last week, according to CHP Officer Matt Ramirez.
Ramirez said if the CHP recommended charges they would be for vehicle theft, but Sarsfield said he can’t confirm whether charges will be pressed or not because the girl is a juvenile. He did not say when he will make a decision on possible charges.
Albert Andrew Hernandez, 13, Armando Limas, 16, and Vanessa Jimenez, 13, died after fleeing from a CHP officer in a stolen Jaguar and crashing into a power pole at Fairview and Shore roads. The force of the collision caused the vehicle to explode into flames. The 13-year-old survivor, who is not being named because she is a juvenile, was thrown through the windshield of the car and suffered a fractured vertebrae, facial lacerations, a collapsed lung and burns to one side of her body. The other teens were trapped inside the car where they died from smoke inhalation, burns and blunt force trauma, according to the coroner.
The CHP’s initial investigation revealed that Jimenez and the survivor stole a 2002 Jaguar from a friend’s mom sometime in the early afternoon of Oct. 5, picked up Limas and Hernandez and took the car on a joyride through Hollister and surrounding cities in the hours leading up to the accident. The CHP believes Limas was driving at the time of the accident, and fled from police either because he was trying to join a gang or because he was on probation and afraid if he was caught with a stolen car he would be sent to jail.
The Free Lance requested a copy of the investigation under the California Public Records Act, but Ramirez said the CHP is unable to release the document because the case is still under investigation. Until Sarsfield makes a determination on charges, he said he will not make the investigation public.
After being hospitalized and treated at the Kaiser Permanente San Jose/Santa Teresa Medical Center, the survivor was released several months ago. Sarsfield said he is unaware of the girl’s current condition, and the deceased teens’ family members haven’t had contact with the girl or her family, according to Lila Vasquez, Jimenez’s aunt.
Vasquez was unsure whether she believes the girl should be charged or not.
“I just don’t know. She is only 13 years old,” she said. “I really don’t care to see her. But I hope she learns something from this – just to be careful.”
Limas’ mother, Karin Ordonez, and Hernandez’s parents were unavailable for comment.
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected]
