Woman, dog in her lap killed in south Sacramento crash, CHP says. DUI suspect arrested
A woman and dog were killed, two others suffered minor injuries and a driver was arrested following a DUI crash early Friday in the Parkway Estates area, authorities said.
California Highway Patrol officers and fire personnel responded to a two-vehicle, major-injury collision on Orange Avenue just west of Stockton Boulevard shortly after 12:10 a.m., according to a news release by the CHP’s South Sacramento office.
A 1994 Mercedes E320 station wagon was backing out of the driveway of a residence on Orange Avenue and beginning to travel east when it was broadsided by a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 “traveling at a high rate of speed,” the news release said.
A 63-year-old Sacramento woman riding in the passenger seat of the Mercedes with a dog in her lap suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District personnel, according to the CHP.
“A deceased dog was located on the lap” of the woman who died, the news release said.
The driver of the Mercedes, a 60-year-old man, was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. The Chevrolet pickup truck driver, identified as 49-year-old Eloy Tapia of Sacramento, also suffered minor injuries and was contacted by CHP officers at the scene.
Officers determined Tapia to be under the influence of alcohol, and he was arrested and booked into the Sacramento County jail, the CHP said.
Tapia faces charges of DUI causing major injury or death, as well as vehicular manslaughter. His bail is set at $50,000, jail records show.
The victim’s identity will be released by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office pending notification of family.
“This is another tragic reminder of the dangers of drunk driving,” CHP’s news release concluded. “Drunk driving fatal collisions are 100% preventable!!”
This story was originally published December 27, 2019 at 8:34 AM.
