Sonoma Valley Woman Killed In Hwy 12 Crash; DUI Arrest Made: CHP

SONOMA VALLEY, CA — The California Highway Patrol has identified a woman who died in a head-on collision involving an allegedly intoxicated driver Tuesday morning on state Highway 12 as Estefania Soto, 27, of Boyes Hot Springs. Soto was driving a 2012 Nissan Sentra east on Highway 12 just west of Agua Caliente Road in the Boyes Hot Springs area of unincorporated Sonoma County around 7:45 a.m. when a westbound Ford truck crossed the double yellow lines and struck the Nissan head-on, CHP Officer Marc Renspurger said.

Soto was pronounced dead at the scene and a 7-year-old girl in her car suffered major injuries and was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

The Ford driver, Jose Lopez-Perez, 25, of Santa Rosa, also suffered major injuries and was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital where he was arrested on suspicion of DUI, Renspurger said.

Both drivers were wearing seatbelts and the girl was properly restrained in a child safety seat, Renspurger said.

The collision closed Highway 12 in the area until around noon.

ORIGINAL POST: A fatal head-on collision Tuesday morning on state Highway 12 in the Boyes Hot Springs area of unincorporated Sonoma County resulted in the closure of both lanes of the roadway, according to the California Highway Patrol. The collision was reported around 7:45 a.m. just east of Agua Caliente Road.

A witness reported a Ford truck was trying to pass traffic over double-yellow lines and that one of the involved vehicles caught fire, CHP officials said.

At least one person died in the collision.

A Sig-alert was issued for the roadway at 8:34 a.m. Southbound traffic was being turned around at Moon Mountain Drive, according to the CHP.

The roadway remained blocked at 9:30 a.m.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

Image via Patch