Father Suspected of DUI in Ramona Crash That Left Woman, 21, Dead; His 2 Children Injured

RAMONA, CA — Authorities believe a Ramona man may have been driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs Monday afternoon when he crashed his pickup truck head-on into a car on Vista Ramona Road, killing the driver of the car on impact and injuring his two young children, who were riding with him in his pickup.

The fatal collision occurred about 4:25 p.m. just east of Old Julian Highway, according to CHP Officer Kevin Pearlstein.

The 50-year-old Ramona resident was driving his 2003 Ford F-250 eastbound on Vista Ramona Road, with his 4-year-old son in a car seat in the middle rear seat, but not properly restrained, and his 5-year-old daughter in a booster seat in the right front seat of the pickup, Pearlstein said.

Racheal Guarneros, 21, of Ramona, was driving a 2012 Nissan Altima westbound on Vista Ramona when the pickup driver traveled onto the dirt shoulder of the south side of the road, then over-corrected and allowed his vehicle to cross the solid double yellow lines, striking the Nissan head-on, according to the officer and the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office.

Both vehicles came to rest on the north shoulder of Vista Ramona Road.

Guarneros was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 4-year-old suffered major life-threatening injuries when he was thrown from his car seat and through the back window of the pickup, landing in the bed of the truck.

According to Pearlstein, the young boy was rushed to Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego, as was his 5-year-old sister, who suffered moderate injuries in the collision.

Their father, whose name was not disclosed, suffered major injuries, including a broken back, and was transported to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido.

"The collision remains under investigation and it appears the driver of the pickup was under the influence of alcohol and or drugs," Pearlstein said.

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