Woman Suspected of DUI after Fatal Crash
June 19, 2009
Whittier – A woman was arrested Saturday morning for her part in a fatal freeway crash that killed one woman and injured two others, authorities said.
The woman was identified as Criselda Valderrama, 20, from Baldwin Park. She was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
According to California Highway Patrol (CHP) officials, three 26-year old Fontana women were inside a stalled Honda Civic when Valderama crashed her car into theirs at around 2:25 a.m. on the northbound 605 Freeway near Washington Boulevard.
One woman, identified as Diana Mendoza, died shortly after at Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital.
The other two women sustained minor to moderate injuries.
Officers believe that the Civic that Mendoza and the 2 other Fontana women were riding were stalled following a separate crash prior to the fatal collision, in which the Civic hit a guardrail.
Mendoza was originally driving the Civic but switched with one of the other women after the first accident.
Valderama, who was driving a 1991 Toyota Previa, failed to notice the stalled vehicle and hit the rear of the Civic, CHP officials said.
She was hospitalized with moderate injuries.
Valderama is now being held in lieu of a $25,000 bail. There is no information about her initial court date at the moment.