Atascadero woman and teen killed in suspected DUI crash
UPDATE 3/18/2019
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department has released the names of two people killed in a suspected DUI crash that happened Saturday morning.
The victims were identified as 20-year-old Monica Gonzalez and 17-year-old Madison Elizabeth Coleman both of Atascadero.
A third person in the same car was also seriously injured in the crash. Their identity has not been released.
The suspect, 27-year-old Javier Artemio Cortes of Santa Maria, is free from custody after posting bail. His next court date is scheduled for April 17.
UPDATE 3:45 P.M. 3/16/2019
According to the Santa Maria Police Department, Cortes was booked for felony DUI & Vehicular Manslaughter.
Authorities say further investigation showed Cortes was at fault in this fatal car crash. Cortes is being booked and could face the following charges:
23153 V.C. DUI causing injury
191.5(a) P.C.- Vehicular Manslaughter
The Santa Maria Police Department is investigating a suspected DUI crash that left two people dead.
It happened around 3:00 Saturday morning at the intersection of Donovan Road and Miller Street.
Officers say two cars were involved in the crash, and two people were ejected onto the roadway.
Santa Maria Fire treated the injured and took them to the hospital.
Two people later died and a third person remains in critical condition.
The identities of the victims have not been released.
Police say the only person in the second vehicle, 27-year-old Javier Artemio Cortes of Santa Maria, was arrested and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on DUI charges.
Police say this was the first fatal crash of 2019 for Santa Maria.
The last one happened on December 26, 2018.
