Police Investigating Crash in Construction Zone Which Killed a Mother

September 8, 2009

Santa Rosa – The investigation is ongoing for the fatal minivan crash which killed a 39-year old mother and injured her three children on Highway 101.

Elucina Moyado Guevara of Santa Rosa, was driving the Dodge Caravan which went into the center divide of the freeway just north of Shiloh road and into a construction zone. The minivan hit a concrete deck two feet above the level of the ground and bounced to the deck where it burst into flames.

Her three children, ages 5, 9 and 11 escaped through the broken backseat window but the mother died in the blaze as she was unable to escape the vehicle.

Sgt. Robert Mota reported that investigators have spoken with the children of the victim and are currently trying to determine whether the driver was distracted at the time of the accident or unfamiliar with the roadway or had an issue with signage in the roadway.

An autopsy has also been completed and toxicology reports are still pending.

O.C. Jones Construction of Berkeley, the contractor of the construction zone where the crash occurred is adding an additional lane in the median, which requires shifting traffic lanes to rebuild the bridges and pave the new lanes.