Mom killed in crash with accused drunk driver, CA cops say. Unlicensed man arrested
.jpeg "The crash killed a 40-year-old mother and injured three more, according to Orange police.")
An accused drunk driver ran a red light and slammed into an SUV, killing a mother and injuring three more, California police say.
Roberto Noe Monfil Xitlama, 18, who does not have a license to drive, was arrested in relation to the crash, the Orange Police Department said in a Sept. 30 Facebook post.
Monfil Xitlama was driving a Chevrolet SUV in the city of Orange on the evening of Sunday, Sept. 29, when he ran a red light at the intersection of Tustin Street and Collins Avenue, police said.
He slammed into a Toyota SUV passing through the intersection on a green light, according to police.
“I was out here skating in front of my store, and, all of a sudden, I heard this big boom,” Connor Martinelli, who witnessed the collision, told KTLA.
The crash killed Maria Minerva Arroyo Lozada, 40, who was seated in the Toyota’s front passenger seat, Lt. Phil McMullin told McClatchy News in an Oct. 1 phone interview.
Arroyo Lozada’s 13-year-old daughter, who was seated behind her, was taken to a hospital in critical condition but is in stable condition as of Tuesday, Oct. 1, according to McMullin.
Both Arroyo-Lozada’s boyfriend, the driver of the Toyota, and her daughter’s 13-year-old friend were taken to a hospital in stable condition, McMullin said.
Monfil Xitlama was taken to a hospital but was not seriously injured, according to police.
An alcohol breath test showed Monfil Xitlama’s “blood alcohol level was more than double the legal (driving) limit,” police said.
In California, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08% or higher.
Monfil Xitlama was arrested on a charge of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and booked into the Orange County Jail, police said.
Arroyo Lozada is survived by three daughters, a GoFundMe says.
“She was a cherished soul who deeply impacted the lives of many. She was known for being hardworking, humble, and an amazing mother.” the GoFundMe says. “Her sudden and tragic passing has left us heartbroken.”
Orange is about a 30-mile drive southeast from downtown Los Angeles.
This story was originally published October 1, 2024 at 9:39 AM with the headline "Mom killed in crash with accused drunk driver, CA cops say. Unlicensed man arrested."
