Gilroy
– Officers with the California Highway Patrol arrested a Morgan
Hill man for driving under the influence in the pre-Thanksgiving
rush, after he crossed into oncoming traffic on Pacheco Pass and
struck two cars, injuring five people.
By Lori Stuenkel
Gilroy – Officers with the California Highway Patrol arrested a Morgan Hill man for driving under the influence in the pre-Thanksgiving rush, after he crossed into oncoming traffic on Pacheco Pass and struck two cars, injuring five people.
Rafael Mendez Jimenez, 33, was not injured after crashing into two cars with his 1995 Jeep Cherokee. The five victims were all transported to Saint Louise Regional Hospital for treatment.
Jimenez was driving 55 mph westbound on Highway 152, west of Lovers Lane, at about 9:38pm last Wednesday, when he drove across the double yellow lines. According to the CHP, Jimenez crossed into oncoming traffic because he was intoxicated. Road conditions were good at the time, and the weather was clear and dry.
He sideswiped a 2000 Ford driven by Preorag Petrovic, 32, of San Francisco, who was traveling with one passenger eastbound at 35 to 40 mph. Jimenez continued westbound in the eastbound lane and crashed head-on into a 1994 Nissan driven by Marie Gonzalez, 27, of San Jose.
Jimenez’s Jeep overturned and came to rest on its roof on the shoulder to the right of the eastbound lane.
Gonzalez suffered a broken right toe and was treated at Saint Louise. She had two 12-year-old girls in the car with her, one treated for shoulder and head pain and the other complaining of chest pain.
Petrovic suffered cuts to the head and his passenger complained of pain to her elbow.
“It was a really big crash,” said CHP Officer Matt Ramirez. “It’s a wonder nobody got killed.”
Jimenez’s blood alcohol level was not available, but he was arrested on suspicion of being over the legal limit of .08 percent. He also was arrested for driving with a suspended license, and without proof of insurance.
The eastbound lane of Highway 152 was closed for about one hour after the crash, and traffic in both directions was diverted to the shoulders of the highway.
