The six people recovering from life-threatening injuries in an
alcohol-related wreck on U.S. 101 early Monday morning are
improving, according to the CHP.
The six people recovering from life-threatening injuries in an alcohol-related wreck on U.S. 101 early Monday morning are improving, according to the CHP.
Rosalia Carillo, 45, of San Jose, died in that head-on collision between an allegedly drunk driver – going the wrong way on the six-lane freeway – and a carload of relatives from San Jose and East Palo Alto.
The CHP was expected Wednesday to file charges of gross vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol causing death against Graciela Plascencia, 30, of San Jose.
Gilroy residents Mary Gayton , 32, and Veronica Prado, 28, were asleep in Plascencia’s car at the time of the accident. Gayton remained in critical condition. Prado and Plascencia were listed in fair condition.
The trio had been drinking at least two San Jose nightclubs, according to CHP spokeswoman Terry Mayes.
Plascencia got onto northbound 101 the wrong way at the San Martin Avenue off-ramp, just north of the accident site, the CHP learned from the other car’s driver, 22-year-old Sergio Lua of East Palo Alto, who recovered enough to give a statement.
Lua reportedly said he was following his brother-in-law’s vehicle when he saw Plascencia’s headlights enter the freeway. His brother-in-law was able to swerve out of the way, but Lua couldn’t avoid the vehicle. It hit him at approximately 65 mph, the CHP reported.
The CHP expects to have Plascencia’s blood-alcohol test results next week.
Plascencia was the only one of eight people involved who didn’t suffer at least life-threatening injuries.
Also, single mom Shonda Pritchard, 31, of San Jose, died in another U.S. 101 wreck Saturday morning while driving her 8-year-old son, Jeremy McNulty, to a football game in Gilroy against the Browns.
It was 6:35am, and Pritchard was southbound at about 80 to 85 mph when she lost control of her sport-utility vehicle for an unknown reason, according to California Highway Patrol officers. The vehicle hit a bush and two posts and overturned near the Masten Avenue exit.
The Gilroy Browns youth football organization plans to donate the proceeds of its next Jeff Garcia autograph raffle to the McNulty’s uninsured and grieving family.
