Goleta Woman Dies in Saturday Accident on 101
21-Year-Old Northern California Man Arrested on DUI Charges
A 41-year-old Goleta resident was killed after the car she was traveling in was hit by an alleged drunk driver, flipping several times on southbound Highway 101 near Fairview on Saturday.
California Highway Patrol officers say a white Mercedes – driven by 21-year-old resident of Hollister, California – was reportedly driving erratically and at a high rate of speed when it clipped a Volkswagen driving at about 65 miles per hour in the middle lane around 9:30 p.m.
The driver of the Volkswagen lost control of the car, which traveled off the right shoulder of the freeway, overturned a few times, and ultimately came to rest on its wheels.
The 21-year-old driver, as well as a 17-year-old male juvenile were taken to the hospital and treated for moderate injuries. The 41-year-old Rosario Silvestre died at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital from “blunt force trauma,” according to the collision report.
The 21-year-old, who is unlicensed to drive a car in California, allegedly fled the area and was found by officers several miles from the collision scene parked on the right shoulder of the highway. Officers found an open container of hard alcohol in the vehicle. The 21-year-old, who also is uninsured, allegedly failed field sobriety tests. He was arrested for felony driving under the influence, hit-and-run, and vehicular manslaughter and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail.
