A woman was killed after a wrong-way driver suspected of being under the influence crashed head-on into her vehicle early Wednesday, Jan. 1, in Mission Viejo.
The victim, who is believed to be in her 60s, was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Her named was withheld pending notification of relatives, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said.
Sheriff deputies arrived at 1:43 a.m. at the crash scene near the intersections of Marguerite Parkway and Pueblonuevo Drive. Geraldine Caicedo-Perez, 26, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and booked into the county jail for gross vehicular manslaughter.
A preliminary Sheriff’s Department investigation revealed Caicedo-Perez was driving a Chevrolet Malibu the wrong way in the southbound lanes of Marguerite Parkway when she crashed head-on with the victim’s Toyota Camry.
Caicedo-Perez and a passenger in the Chevrolet Malibu also were taken to a local hospital for injuries relating to the crash. Their conditions were unknown.
The Sheriff’s Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team is investigating the collision. Any witnesses or anyone else with additional details are asked to contact the sheriff’s Traffic Bureau at 949-425-1860. Additionally, anonymous information can be provided through Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.
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