Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Tragic Hit-and-Run Crash Claims Life of Santa Maria Resident
The California Highway Patrol has identified the passenger who tragically lost her life in a hit-and-run crash that occurred in the early hours of Monday morning. Elizabeth J. Hernandez, a 43-year-old resident of Santa Maria, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on Creston Road, just west of Neal Springs Road.
The fatal crash took place around 12:29 a.m., when a vehicle carrying Hernandez and two other passengers veered off the road at a high rate of speed for reasons yet to be determined. The car overturned multiple times, causing all three passengers to be ejected from the vehicle, as they were not wearing seat belts at the time of the incident.
While Hernandez tragically lost her life, the two other passengers, Carlos S. Torres Diaz and Aliandro Torres Gomez, both residents of Paso Robles, sustained major injuries and were rushed to Sierra Vista Medical Center in San Luis Obispo for treatment.
Driver Identified and Arrested
The driver of the vehicle, identified as 20-year-old Angel Melquiades Ramos from Paso Robles, fled the scene immediately following the crash. However, thanks to the swift action of law enforcement, Ramos was located and arrested on charges of felony hit and run and vehicular manslaughter at 11:25 a.m. on the same day.
At this stage, it remains unclear whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the tragic incident, as the investigation by the California Highway Patrol is still ongoing. Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of Elizabeth J. Hernandez during this difficult time.
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