UPDATE: Driver charged in Gilroy quadruple fatal crash makes first court appearance
UPDATE 5/22/2015: The suspected DUI driver charged in last week’s deadly crash in Gilroy, made his first appearance in court Friday afternoon. Anthony Imrbonone III, 23, is charged with four counts of felony vehicular manslaughter and one count of felony DUI for a crash last week on Leavesley Rd. in Gilroy where four people were killed.
Three victims were 18-year-old girls and students in the Gilroy Unified School District – Yolanda Jimenez, 18, Yesenia Mendoza Pina, 18, and Sara Jean Williams, 18. Joseph Vasquez Flemate, 24, was also killed in the crash.
During his arraignment in the South County Morgan Hill Courthouse, NewsChannel 5 reports his next hearing is scheduled for May 28 at 1:30 p.m. The judge kept his bail at $250,000, despite requests from the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office to increase the amount to $1.25 million.
NewsChannel 5 will have more information on this story.
UPDATE 5/21/2015: Driver Anthony Imbronone, 23, was arrested at his home in Gilroy Thursday morning, accused of four counts of felony vehicular manslaughter and felony DUI, according to California Highway Patrol.
Officers said Imbronone was booked in the Santa Clara County Jail and his bail is set at $250,000.
CHP said three high school girls and one young man, all from Gilroy, were killed in the crash including Yolanda Jimenez, 18, Yesenia Mendoza Pina, 18, Sara Jean Williams, 18, and Joseph Vasquez Flemate, 24.
UPDATE 5/15/2015: If you’d like to help the families of the victims in Gilroy’s most recent deadly car accidents, visit the links below:
UPDATE 3:53 p.m.: The Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office has identified the fourth victim in Tuesday night’s deadly crash as Joseph Vasquez Flemate, 24, of Gilroy.
UPDATE 2:35 p.m.: The Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office has identified the third student killed in Tuesday night’s Gilroy crash as Yolanda Jimenez, 18, of Gilroy, went to Mount Madonna Continuation High School.
Three high school girls killed in Gilroy crash, school officials sayUPDATE 1:22 p.m.: Gilroy Unified School District said all three 18-year-old girls killed in Tuesday night’s fatal crash are students within the district.
School officials have identified a second student killed in the crash as Yesenia Mendoza Pina, 18, a student at Mount Madonna Continuation High School.
They said the third student is not being identified because her parents haven’t been notified yet.
UPDATE 12:47 p.m.: California Highway Patrol confirms three 18-year-old girls were killed in Tuesday night’s fatal crash. They said each of their families have been notified and they are working to notify family members of the 24-year-old male victim also killed.
Christopher High School Principal Paul Winslow issued a statement to the media Wednesday afternoon stating:
Thanks for your words. Sorry that I wasn’t able to speak due to my voice.
This is another heavy day for us at CHS. Sara Williams was well-known among the Class of 2015, and was loved deeply by our staff. She had the ability to create very unique bonds with adults on campus, and I will definitely miss seeing her. I had the chance to have many interactions with Sara and she always made me laugh with her unique sense of humor. It is a very sad week for our community. She was involved deeply in our art program and was well known for using art for expression.
We have around 15 adults on campus who provide grief services for students. Unfortunately this is the second traffic fatality for our school within a week’s span (we had another death on Saturday night) so we are providing grief services for both events. Our district will support us as much as we need to make sure that students receive anything they need to work through this process.
Paul Winslow, Principal, Christopher High School
UPDATE 11:03 a.m.: School officials said Sara Jean Williams, a senior at Christopher High School in Gilroy, was killed in Tuesday night’s deadly crash, according to the Christopher High School Athletic Booster Club Facebook page.
Williams’ death comes just three days after Christopher High School student Natalia Salcido, 15, was killed in a crash Saturday night on Miller Road in Gilroy.
Students held a vigil for Salcido Monday night.
Principal Paul Winslow issued this letter Wednesday morning:
Cougar Community:
It is with great sorrow that I have to announce another tragedy at Christopher High School. Late last night, CHS senior Sara Jean Williams was tragically killed with three others in a car accident. Sara was well known among staff, students and our community, and has left a hole in our heart. OUr heartfelt condolences go out to those who loved Sara, and those whom Sara loved.
It has been hard for us to cope with one death, yet alone another. There are times where dealing with emotions are critical to moved forward in our lives. Should any students need counseling services to grieve and deal with this loss, please visit our Student Services building immediately.
In the face of these tragedies, it is so important that death not defeat us, but inspire us for change. These events remind us of the precious nature of life, and the importance of celebrating a good life lived. This is also a sobering reminder of the importance of respecting the power of an automobile, and the fragility of our own lives.
Paul
Paul Winslow, Principal, Christopher High School
UPDATE 9:25 a.m.: 23-year-old Anthony Imbronone III, of Gilroy, has been arrested for suspicion of driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to California Highway Patrol.
Officers said Imbronone was driving a 1997 Ford Mustangon Tuesday with four passengers including a 24 year-old man, two 18-year-old females and one more female. Officers said they still don’t know her age, but believe she may be a teenager. All four passengers died in the crash.
Officers said the car was traveling eastbound on Leavesley Road east of New Avenue around 10:35 p.m. Tuesday.
Officers said Imbronone turned to the left while navigating a right curve on Leavesley Road, crossing the solid double yellow lines and crashing into a concrete drainage ditch on the east side of the road.
“The vehicle was traveling east bound on Leavelsey. At this time it’s unknown speed they were traveling. The vehicle went off the roadway, collided with the canal embankment. The vehicle got airborne, partially overturned in the air and then crashed into the side of the embankment, rolled back down to the canal bank,” Officer Justin Maier said.
CHP said all four passengers were killed on impact. Imbronone was taken by ambulance to Saint Louis Regional Medical Center and later airlifted to San Jose Regional Medical with major injuries.
Officers said the crash is still under investigation and its unclear if speed was a factor or not.
“What’s more difficult is we were unable to get a statement from any of the involved parties since there were four fatalities. We couldn’t get a statement from them. The driver was conscious but he wasn’t talking as he left the scene,” Maier said.
UPDATE 8:51 a.m.: California Highway Patrol said the 23-year-old male driver in Tuesday night’s fatal crash has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Three female passengers and a male passenger were killed in the crash and the driver was the only survivor, CHP said.
Officers said they’ve been able to identify two of the victims but haven’t been able to identify the other two.
NewsChannel 5 will have more on this story as information becomes available.
PREVIOUS STORY: California highway patrol is investigating a fatal accident that happened Tuesday night in Gilroy.
CHP says a car overturned multiple times and went off the roadway off Leavesley Road and New Avenue.
Four of the five people inside the car were killed in the crash.
The driver is the only survivor of the crash. He was taken to the hospital with major injuries.
It’s believed everyone involved is under the age of 25.
Right now alcohol is not suspected, but the investigation is still ongoing.
