GILROY
– Three children and an adult were thrown from an SUV traveling
southbound on U.S. 101 Sunday when the driver swerved to avoid
backed-up traffic caused by a motorcycle-versus-automobile accident
that happened just four minutes earlier.
GILROY – Three children and an adult were thrown from an SUV traveling southbound on U.S. 101 Sunday when the driver swerved to avoid backed-up traffic caused by a motorcycle-versus-automobile accident that happened just four minutes earlier.
The driver of the 1996 Toyota Forerunner, Juan Medina Vasquez, was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or a drug, the California Highway Patrol said. Vasquez, 40, of Los Angeles was arrested and booked for felony DUI.
The accident occurred shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday south of Leavesley Road on U.S. 101 in the southbound lane. Vasquez failed to stop for backed-up traffic and swerved, causing the SUV to roll and eject four of his seven passengers. The thrown passengers were not wearing seat belts, the CHP said.
A 9-year-old male suffered major head injuries and was flown to Valley Medical Center in San Jose. His condition is unknown. The two other children, a 3- and an 11-year-old male, suffered moderate injuries and were taken to San Jose Medical Center.
A 29-year-old male was flown to Stanford hospital for a lacerated tendon and broken hand. A 1-year-old baby boy was the only passenger not to suffer an injury. The child was riding in a child safety seat, the CHP said.
Two other adults traveling in Vasquez’s SUV suffered injuries and were taken to area hospitals. One of them, a 34-year-old female was sent to Stanford intensive care for lacerations to the head.
All of the victims are from Los Angeles.
The motorcycle accident, which sparked the roll-over, was caused by a speeding motorcyclist who ran into the back of a pick-up truck. The motorcyclist was taken to a hospital in Modesto for major injuries.
Early today, a head-on collision between a semi truck and a Ford Aerostar along the Pacheco Pass Highway took the life of Gilroy resident Humberto Cruz Garcia.
Garcia, 32, was driving westbound in the eastbound lane in front of Gilroy Foods at 1:30 a.m. when the oncoming truck could not avoid colliding with the van.
Gilroy police say Garcia was likely driving under the influence of alcohol.
