The accident killed the passenger, 41-year-old Santa Barbara mother of five Rosario Silvestere, and caused "severe injuries" to the driver, Meza said. The driver of the Jetta had a valid driver's license, the CHP said.
SANTA BARBARA
The California Highway Patrol today confirmed that a Hollister man charged on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and drunken driving for a Santa Barbara accident that killed a mother of five did not have a driver's license and was uninsured. The CHP also confirmed that the woman killed in the early March wreck was not wearing a seat belt.
The suspect, 22-year-old Fabian Maduena of Hollister, was traveling southbound on Highway 101 near Santa Barbara at 9:30 p.m. March 7 at a speed between 85 mph and 100 mph, CHP Officer Hector Meza said. The suspect was straddling both the left and middle lanes of traffic and struck a Volkswagen Jetta traveling at 65 m.p.h., according to the CHP.
The accident killed the passenger, 41-year-old Santa Barbara mother of five Rosario Silvestere, and caused "severe injuries" to the driver, Meza said. The driver of the Jetta had a valid driver's license, the CHP said.
The Mercedes Benz Maduena was driving struck the left rear corner of the Jetta causing it to lose control, travel across the highway and become airborne, rolling several times. As the Jetta rolled, both the driver and passenger were ejected from the car. Both were not wearing their seatbelts, the CHP said.
After the collision, Maduena fled the scene but later was apprehended and arrested. Meza said the suspect sustained no injuries from the crash.
The Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office confirmed that Maduena's blood-alcohol level was twice the legal limit of 0.08 and he had 109 grams of marijuana in the trunk of the car. His defense lawyer has contended Maduena is a medical marijuana patient.
Along with the vehicular manslaughter and DUI counts, prosecutors also charged Maduena on suspicion of transporting marijuana, fleeing the scene of a deadly crash and driving with a suspended license.
If you have any additional information regarding the case, please call the CHP at (805) 967-1234.
Colin McConville Colin McConville is a reporter with the Hollister Free Lance. You can reach him by email or at (831) 637-5566.
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