Crime & Safety
Temecula Mom's Drunken Driving Led To Child's Death: CHP
Jessica Nieto, 33, of Temecula will be arrested on suspicion of felony DUI, child endangerment and vehicular manslaughter, the CHP reported.
TEMECULA, CA — A mother who allegedly caused a head-on crash Sunday night in Temecula that killed her 8-year-old daughter and injured six other people is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol, the California Highway Patrol announced Monday morning.
Jessica Nieto, 33, of Temecula was seriously injured in the crash and transported to Wildomar's Inland Valley Medical Center. According to the CHP, she will be arrested on suspicion of felony DUI, child endangerment and gross vehicular manslaughter.
Nieto was heading west on state Route 79 South at approximately 6:21 p.m. Sunday when the 2011 Honda Pilot she was driving veered onto the right shoulder. She lost control of the vehicle and slammed head-on into an eastbound 2011 Chevrolet Silverado, the CHP reported. The SR-79 wreck happened just west of Anza Road.
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Nieto's 8-year-old daughter was in the Honda and was not wearing a seatbelt, according to CHP Officer Mike Lassig. The child died at the scene. Two other children of Nieto's were seriously injured in the crash — a 5-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy; they were sent to Riverside University Health System Medical Center, Lassig reported. Updates on their medical conditions were unavailable.
Both of the surviving children and Nieto were wearing seatbelts, according to the CHP.
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Three people inside the Silverado were also hurt in the crash. The driver, a 46-year-old man, along with a 43-year-old female passenger, were sent to Inland Valley Medical Center with major injuries. Another passenger, a teen girl, suffered minor injuries. All three are Thermal residents, according to the CHP.
The CHP is reminding residents to always use a designated driver.
"Driving impaired is extremely dangerous and can always be avoided," according to the CHP.
SR-79 at Anza Road was closed for approximately three hours Sunday night due to the CHP investigation.
The CHP is asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact its Temecula Area office at 951-506-2000.
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