The suspect in the homicide of 25-year-old Hollister woman Heather Carroll has been convicted on three drunken driving-related charges in San Benito County and served time for other cases of driving without a license, but does not appear to have a local history of convictions for violent offenses, according to court records.
David J. Quiroz, 30, was arrested early Saturday on suspicion of the homicide following an 11-hour standoff with police, after which he directed authorities to her body at the home in the 2100 block of Cerra Vista Drive and admitted to killing her Wednesday when a fight ensued between the two.
Carroll had been missing since Wednesday morning after she had dropped off her young boy at Ladd Lane School. Police early Thursday then found her sport utility vehicle engulfed in flames near Enterprise Road and Glenview Drive. While on the way to question Quiroz in the case Friday afternoon, someone called 911 warning authorities that he was possibly suicidal and may have had a firearm – leading to the standoff.
When asked about the suspect’s criminal background, or prior police contacts to the man’s home, Interim Police Chief David Westrick on Monday said his detectives were working on the case and the department would provide more information Tuesday.
Although there is no statewide database showing criminal records for other counties, Quiroz has a history of misdemeanors in San Benito County and remains on probation for them. Most notably, he has three convictions related to driving under the influence charges – in 2002, 2004 and 2009, according to court records.
In August 2002, he was charged with DUI but had it reduced to a wet reckless and received a fine of $505. In September 2004, he pleaded guilty to DUI, paid a $2,094 fine and was sentenced to 37 days in jail. In December 2009, he pleaded no contest to DUI, paid a $3,160 fine and was sentenced to 210 days in jail, according to county court records.
Quiroz also has been repeatedly convicted for driving without a proper license, and while on probation. Most recently, he was sentenced in November 2011 to 105 days in jail, according to the records.
