Driver Charged with Second-Degree Murder in Deadly Multi-Vehicle DUI Crash

Javier Caldera in a Murrieta court on June 4. Photo Courtesy of RivCo DA’s Office

DUI Suspect Javier Caldera, 25, of Auburn Washington, has been charged with Second-Degree Murder for causing a multi-vehicle crash that killed one motorist and seriously injured others.

The accident happened on Interstate 15 in Temecula, California, just before 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 4, reported Patch.com.

A video of the accident shows a pickup truck speeding through early morning traffic moments before ramming into one vehicle, and then into others, causing a multi-vehicle crash before coming to a halt at the center median. A total of 6 vehicles are reported to have been involved in the crash.

A spokesperson for the Riverside County Fire Department said: “There is one confirmed fatality as well as two patients with serious injuries and two patients with minor injuries.”

The Fatality

A statement from the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office revealed that the woman killed in the incident has been identified as Janet Genao, 44, of Murrieta. Her car was destroyed in the accident and was reported to have died at the scene, according to Patch.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for anyone wishing to donate and support the Genao Family in the wake of the loss of their mother.

Serious Injuries

Officer Mike Lassig of the California Highway Patrol stated that one of the vehicles involved in the accident was a Chevy S-10, which he said became mangled when it was sent flying off the road during the crash. The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Mike Rivera of Wildomar, was left seriously injured, 247headline.com reported.

He went on to say that the drivers of two other vehicles suffered minor injuries and a third motorist involved in the crash was left unhurt.

Suspect Had Previous DUI Offences

Caldera had numerous prior convictions for drug-related crimes in Washington State and California. Possession of methamphetamine, driving under the influence, and driving with a suspended license were among the previous convictions listed on 247headline.

The site also mentions that the suspect’s most recent arrest prior to the crash was back in November of 2018, where he served 2 months in jail.

The Arrest

Caldera was arrested on June 4 around 9:50 a.m. Records indicate that Caldera was booked into Larry D. Smith Correctional Center in Banning.

Caldera made his first court appearance Thursday, but has yet to enter a plea. A request by the defense to reschedule Caldera’s arraignment for June 18 was granted. Bail has been revoked.

DUI Statistics

On any given day, nearly 30 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes, according to 2017 figures published by the United States Department of Transportation.

This is equivalent to one lost life every 48 minutes or just over 10,000 deaths per year.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), of the 1,233 traffic deaths among children ages 0 to 14 years in 2016, 214 (17 percent) involved a driver operating under the influence of alcohol.

More than 1 million drivers were arrested in 2016 for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.

Deaths due to drunk-driving have fallen by a third in the last three decades, the Department of Transportation notes.