Driver in fatal crash had been drinking, on Prozac

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http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/11040245.htm

Posted on Thu, Mar. 03, 2005

Driver in fatal crash had been drinking

WATSONVILLE (AP) - A 17-year-old unlicensed driver whose illegal U-turn led

to a highway collision that killed five people had been drinking alcohol

prior to the Feb. 5 crash, the California Highway Patrol said.

Driver Tammy Uresti, 17, of ville and her four passengers, Julio

Prieto, 18, of Prunedale; Escamilla, 18, of Aptos; Tibbitts,

19, of Corralitos; and Evan Kuhn, 21, of Aptos, died in the crash.

Uresti's blood-alcohol level was 0.11, well above the legal limit for a

minor and above the 0.08 legal threshold for adults, the CHP said. The

anti-depressant Prozac also was found in her system, CHP Officer Art

Carbonel said.

Uresti and her passengers were headed for Prunedale after leaving a party in

a Monterey hotel room when she made the U-turn.

''It was a tragic accident, and they paid for it with their lives,'' said

Vernon Tibbitts, 's father. ''Maybe other kids could learn some

lessons from that, something positive could come from that. But let's not

take away from the joy they gave us for 19 years.''

[Guest guest]

http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/11040245.htm

Posted on Thu, Mar. 03, 2005

Driver in fatal crash had been drinking

WATSONVILLE (AP) - A 17-year-old unlicensed driver whose illegal U-turn led

to a highway collision that killed five people had been drinking alcohol

prior to the Feb. 5 crash, the California Highway Patrol said.

Driver Tammy Uresti, 17, of ville and her four passengers, Julio

Prieto, 18, of Prunedale; Escamilla, 18, of Aptos; Tibbitts,

19, of Corralitos; and Evan Kuhn, 21, of Aptos, died in the crash.

Uresti's blood-alcohol level was 0.11, well above the legal limit for a

minor and above the 0.08 legal threshold for adults, the CHP said. The

anti-depressant Prozac also was found in her system, CHP Officer Art

Carbonel said.

Uresti and her passengers were headed for Prunedale after leaving a party in

a Monterey hotel room when she made the U-turn.

''It was a tragic accident, and they paid for it with their lives,'' said

Vernon Tibbitts, 's father. ''Maybe other kids could learn some

lessons from that, something positive could come from that. But let's not

take away from the joy they gave us for 19 years.''