Deadly Lakeville Hwy Crash: Driver Booked On Suspicion of Murder

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A Santa Rosa man was arrested on suspicion of murder in a head-on collision Sunday night on Lakeville Highway near state Highway 37 that left an East Bay woman dead, authorities say. According to California Highway Patrol Officer Jonathan Sloat, Logologoa Taumaloto Tevaseu, 35, of Santa Rosa, was driving his 2006 Dodge Ram southbound on Lakeville Highway at about 9:10 p.m., allegedly passing vehicles to the left of the double-yellow lines, when he struck a white 2015 Toyota Corolla head-on — killing the driver of the Toyota.

Monday afternoon, the Toyota driver was identified by the Sonoma County Sheriff-Coroner's Office as 21-year-old Oakley resident Paulette Geronimo Quiba.

Sloat said the initial collision subsequently caused three other vehicles traveling on the roadway to crash into either the Toyota or the other vehicles. Everyone in those cars suffered moderate to minor injuries and were taken by ambulance to Petaluma Valley Hospital or Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

CHP officers arrived on scene first and began to render aid to the injured parties, Sloat said. Personnel from Marin CHP, Petaluma police and fire departments, Lakeville Fire Department and Cal Fire also responded, he said.

Marin CHP closed Lakeville Road at SR-37 and at Old Lakeville #3 while Santa Rosa CHP personnel investigated the collision.

Tevaseu was detained on suspicion of DUI at the scene. After he allegedly refused chemical testing, he was taken to the CHP office in Rohnert Park, where officers obtained a search warrant and completed a blood draw, Sloat said.

"Due to Tevaseu having a prior DUI conviction and statements he made during the interview, Tevaseu was booked on a charge of murder," Sloat said.

Meanwhile, a second driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI by Marin CHP officers who were manning lane closures as the crashes were being investigated.

"The Marin CHP officers were outside of their vehicles, using their flashlights to direct traffic," Sloat said. "They observed an Acura RSX approaching their closure and could tell the vehicle was not slowing down. The officers ran out of the way as the Acura moved onto the right shoulder of southbound Lakeville Road. The driver of the Acura, Ashley Leah Barnachea, 29, of Santa Rosa, drove past the barricades and the left front of the Acura collided with the left rear of the parked CHP patrol vehicle."

Barnachea allegedly continued traveling southbound until the Acura came to a stop, at which time the officers ran to the Acura and began providing aid to Barnachea. She was taken to Petaluma Valley Hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries; while at the hospital, she was placed under arrest on suspicion of DUI, Sloat said.

Southbound Lakeville Highway was reopened to through traffic at 4:35 a.m. Monday.

Jail records showed Tevaseu was being held without bail Monday and was due in court Tuesday afternoon.

Jail booking photo via SonomaSheriff.org