DIAMOND BAR: Fontana woman charged with murder in crash that killed 6

[Rapunzel]

http://blog.pe.com/breaking-news/2014/02/13/diamond-bar-fontana-woman-charged-with-murder-in-wrongway-crash/

DIAMOND BAR: Fontana woman charged with murder in crash that killed 6
February 13, 2014 by John Asbury


Officials investigate the scene of a multiple vehicle accident where six people were killed on the westbound Pomona Freeway in Diamond Bar, Calif., on Sunday morning, Feb. 9, 2014. Authorities say four members of a family have been killed in the wrong-way freeway crash that also took the life of two others, including the sister of a woman arrested on suspicion of drunken driving. — ASSOCIATED PRESS


BY JOHN ASBURY AND BRIAN ROKOS | STAFF WRITERS

Six murder charges were filed Thursday, Feb. 13, against the Fontana woman accused of driving the wrong way on Highway 60 in Diamond Bar, causing a crash that killed her sister, a friend and a family of four.

Los Angeles County prosecutors filed charges against Olivia Carolee Culbreath, 21, who remains hospitalized from injuries suffered in Sunday morning’s three-car crash.

The DMV, meanwhile, has clarified information it previously released about Culbreath’s driving status. Her license has been suspended and reinstated four times, including once for a conviction for driving under the influence when she was 16.

DMV officials had previously said Culbreath’s most recent suspension had ended Feb. 4 — just five days before the crash. But spokeswoman Jessica Gonzalez said that was an internal date the DMV keeps open for three years if someone has had a DUI conviction, and Culbreath’s last suspension actually was lifted Dec. 20, 2011.

The CHP has said that early Sunday, Culbreath was driving her Camaro north in the southbound lanes of Highway 57, then entered westbound Highway 60 going east. About 4:40 a.m., authorities said, she crashed head-on with a Ford Explorer, killing all four people inside that vehicle and the two passengers in her Camaro. Another vehicle then hit the Explorer, but the driver suffered only minor injuries.

Killed in the crash were Kristin Melissa Young, 21, of Chino; Maya Louise Culbreath, 24, of Rialto; and Huntington Park family Gregorio Mejia-Martinez, 47, Leticia Ibarra, 42, Jessica Jasmine Mejia, 20, and Ester Delgado, 80.

The CHP said officers believed Culbreath had been driving drunk, and that a witness reported she had been speeding up to 100 mph.

The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office did not file charges related to DUI or speeding, but an official said the investigation is still ongoing and more charges could be added.

Los Angeles Superior Court set Culbreath’s bail at $5 million. She remains hospitalized in the jail ward of the USC Medical Center. She was not able to appear at her arraignment Thursday afternoon.

If convicted, Culbreath could face up to life in prison.

Culbreath’s first license suspension was an automatic penalty from the DMV for being convicted of DUI while under age 21, said Gonzalez, the DMV spokeswoman. The second came from a judge for the DUI.

The third suspension was imposed for being a negligent operator — she had two points charged against her driving record for the DUI and one for being at fault in a collision. The fourth was for not filing proof of insurance.

Culbreath has remained eligible to drive because she has paid her fees, provided proof of insurance and served her suspension time, Gonzalez said.

The DMV has the authority to permanently revoke a license, but only if a person is convicted of assault with a deadly weapon — meaning that a driver intentionally used the car as a weapon, Gonzalez said.

A judge could also order Culbreath never to drive again, Gonzalez said.

[Rapunzel]

I drove this for years and I still can't quite figure how she ended up in the wrong east-bound lane.. you stay to the right on the 57 and the two right-hand lanes head to L.A. the two center lanes transition to the 60 eastbound while the far left lane continues the 57 north over Kellogg Hill to the 210.

Want to bet one day we'll here the 16-year-old boy in Texas does this same thing again.

[Rapunzel]

Okay, this article from KABC makes more sense - she was traveling the wrong way on the 57 first and then entered the 60 going the wrong way........ that makes more sense..... and the fact she hit them near the Phillips Ranch Road exit, they may not have seen her until it was too late to swerve out of the way -  I know that section of the freeway well....

++++++++++++++++

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=9425177

Diamond Bar wrong-way freeway crash leaves 6 dead; driver arrested for DUI, manslaughter
Sunday, February 09, 2014
Diamond Bar wrong-way crash leaves 6 dead

  By Q McCray and Amy Powell

DIAMOND BAR, Calif. (KABC) -- Six people were killed after a wrong-way driver smashed into two vehicles on the westbound 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar Sunday morning.

The driver, identified as Olivia Carolee Culbreath, 21, of Fontana, was arrested on suspicion of DUI and manslaughter following the crash.

According to CHP officer Rodrigo Jimenez, officials began receiving calls from witnesses regarding a wrong-way driver traveling in a Chevrolet Camaro on the 57 Freeway.

Shortly after, additional calls came in regarding the wrong-way driver traveling within the westbound lanes of the 60 Freeway.

That's when, Jimenez says, the Chevrolet Camaro struck a red Ford Explorer. The Explorer then subsequently struck a gray Ford Freestyle near Phillips Ranch Road around 4:40 a.m. All lanes near the exit were shut following the accident.

"We received additional calls after the collision of the parties that were ejected," said Jimenez. "We responded quickly and tried to get here as soon as we can to prevent more collisions from occurring."

The Ford Explorer was cut in half. The Ford Freestyle was also heavily damaged.

Five females, two who were 24-years-old, and a 47-year-old man were pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner has not yet released the identities of the victims who were killed.

Joel Cortez, 57, of Ontario, escaped with scratches and severe bruises. His son, Jonathan Cortez, says he is in a lot of pain.
"All he remembers really is just the airbag going off and he was just moving and moving, and finally the car came to a stop and he had looked around, and there were people like, lying on the ground, and he said it was like something you would see out of a movie," said Cortez. "We're actually really blessed to the fact that we still have him. We know that six people have been killed from this, and we send our condolences to those families and friends of the victims."

Culbreath was being treated from a broken femur and ruptured bladder at County USC Medical Center. She is, however, facing suspicion of DUI and manslaughter charges.

The investigation remains ongoing, but investigators say evidence of alcohol consumption was found at the scene.

[xfreeper]

Looking at how mangled that car is it's shocking the drunk survived. If she makes it lock her up and throw away the key

[Rapunzel]

Looking at how mangled that car is it's shocking the drunk survived. If she makes it lock her up and throw away the key

I have absolutely no use for drunk drivers.  When you view the video at the KABC link there is Coors beer cans laying in the roadway.  They said the freeway was shut down for 8 hours. I bet the Monday morning commute to work was a lot of fun. I remember once time there was a truck accident where the 60 and 57 merge and all the traffic was routed through Diamond Bar - took us three hours to get to work and this was before cell phones so you could call and tell them why you are late.

[xfreeper]

I have absolutely no use for drunk drivers.

Likewise. Have followed drunks many times with location updated to police until they arrive, snatched keys out of their ignition at gas stations, etc.

[raml]

I hope she sits in a jail cell for the rest of her life and thinks about the lives she ended way to early. Driving is not a right it is a privilege she should have lost the first time she was caught drinking and driving. I never understood why we should allow people who prove they have no sense behind the wheel of a vehicle which can kill people a second and many times third and fourth chances. I was an insurance agent for many years and some of the records of drivers that I saw were atrocious. When they had money to pay the fines and high insurance rates they were rarely punished even by suspension and most times suspension was for less than a year and they were allowed to drive to work. I know many people pity addicted people I don't pity or have compassion for them but only for the people they come in contact with that they hurt.

[Rapunzel]

I'm with you, raml... I won't drive with or boat with a person who has been drinking.

[aligncare]

When I was 24 I survived a head-on collision. I was a front passenger in a Volkswagen bus coming home from Chico State when a northbound car drifted into our lane. I had a fractured thumb, but the driver of the VW had his legs crushed – no engine in front to take the impact. To this day my thumb still locks up.

[mountaineer]

I have absolutely no use for drunk drivers.  When you view the video at the KABC link there is Coors beer cans laying in the roadway.  ...

Ugh. Drunk and has poor taste in beer.
I've never understood how suspending a drunk's license does anything. They're going to drive anyway.