Hollister
– Local mother Antoinette Soliz was escorted to jail by her bail
bondsman Thursday after a $1,000,000 warrant was issued for her
arrest on charges stemming from a drunken driving accident that
took the life of her 4-year-old daughter and injured seven
others.
Hollister – Local mother Antoinette Soliz was escorted to jail by her bail bondsman Thursday after a $1,000,000 warrant was issued for her arrest on charges stemming from a drunken driving accident that took the life of her 4-year-old daughter and injured seven others.
Soliz, 25, is being held at the Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $1,750,000 bail, according to the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office.
The new charges, issued by the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office, include one count of gross vehicular manslaughter, seven felony counts of inflicting great bodily injury, five counts of felony child abuse and one count of driving on a suspended license, said Ariadne Symons, chief deputy district attorney of Santa Cruz County.
California Highway Patrol Officer Jason Smith said the CHP telephoned Soliz after the warrant was issued Wednesday afternoon. CHP officers told Soliz they were waiting for her outside of her residence in Hollister and that she needed to turn herself in, Smith said.
“She never showed up,” he said.
Soliz’s no-show was the latest turn in a complex case involving the mother of four. Soliz has a sordid history that includes criminal charges spanning three Central Coast counties.
But at 11am Thursday, Soliz surrendered to law enforcement officials. She was brought to the Aptos CHP office by her Hollister bail bondsman, Abel Pasillas, and accompanied by her grandfather, Smith said. Soliz was booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail at approximately noon, Smith said.
Soliz had been released Monday on $50,000 in bail. A bench warrant had been issued in Santa Clara County because she missed an arraignment for a September DUI arrest, but the warrant had not entered the system, said David Tomkins, an assistant district attorney for Santa Clara County. Had that bench warrant made it into the system, Soliz would not have been released and would have been transferred to Santa Clara County, Tomkins said.
The CHP is still piecing together the details of the 1:20am Monday crash that killed Soliz’s 4-year-old daughter Jasmine Arroyo and seriously injured seven others. Soliz’s 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe, which was crowded with two other adults and seven children, slammed into the center guardrail 10 miles south of Santa Cruz on Highway 1 and rolled over numerous times, the CHP said.
Smith would not comment as to where the occupants were coming from or going to.
However, there were beer cans and bottles both at the scene of the crash and in the vehicle, Smith said. Investigators found both full and empty containers, he said.
Although the results of Soliz’s blood test to determine her level of intoxication have not been returned, Smith expects the number to be high.
“She was extremely intoxicated and her blood-alcohol level will reflect that,” Smith said.
Smith said all of those injured in the crash on Monday remained hospitalized as of press time on Thursday.
Cassandra Gonzalez, a 23-year-old Gilroy woman, and mother of a 1-year-old, 2-year-old and 3-year-old passenger, was ejected from the vehicle during the crash, Smith said. Gonzalez was in critical condition at Stanford Medical Center after the crash but has since been upgraded to serious condition, he said.
Gonzalez’s 1-year-old daughter was in a child safety seat and escaped injury, Smith said. Her 3-year-old daughter was in serious but stable condition at Stanford Medical Center on Thursday. Her 2-year-old daughter suffered head injuries and remained in critical condition at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Thursday, Smith said.
David Munoz, a 24-year-old Gilroy resident, who was ejected from the vehicle, remained in stable but serious condition Thursday at Stanford Medical Center, Smith said.
Soliz’s 8-year-old and 10-year-old sons were also ejected from the vehicle during the crash. The 8-year-old remained in serious condition Thursday at Stanford Medical Center with a lacerated liver and a fractured shoulder, Smith said. The 10-year-old remained in serious condition Thursday at Stanford Medical Center with severe lacerations to his liver, a fractured neck and fluid in his lungs, Smith said.
Soliz’s 15-year-old niece, a Gilroy resident, was taken to Watsonville Community Hospital where she remained with serious injuries Thursday, Smith said.
Soliz was present in San Benito County Superior Court on Tuesday morning for an appearance involving two misdemeanor domestic violence incidents and several infractions for not sending her children to school, according to court documents.
If convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter, Soliz could face up to 10 years in state prison, according to the California Penal Code.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or [email protected].
