On May 11, a mother from Hesperia named Lisette Villasenor was driving with her two children on Highway 395. They were just north of Poplar Street when an intoxicated SUV driver swerved into oncoming traffic. Around 6:30 p.m. the drunk driver collided head-on with Lisette’s vehicle. Lisette was killed on impact and her two children were injured.
A FAMILY MEMBER SPEAKS FOR THE VICTIMS
36-year-old mother Lisette Villasenor. Source: KTLA.
After the drunk driver collided head-on with the Villasenor vehicle, 36-year-old Lisette was killed. The accident also sent her two children to the hospital with severe injuries.
Lisette’s sister-in-law, Krystal Giron, spoke about the devastating incident. Krystal said “Her kids, her husband, her home, her family was everything to her…Everyone was trapped in that car so they had to pull off a piece of the car to get them out.”
Giron revealed that she spoke with Lisette on the phone the morning of the DUI accident.
Additionally, Giron explained that Ashley quickly called 911 after the crash to save her family.
THE VICTIMS OF THE HEAD-ON COLLISION
Lisette’s three young children. Source: KTLA.
Lisette was driving her 6-year old son, Daniel, and her 12-year-old daughter, Ashley, in the car.
Lisette was taking Ashley to her cheerleading tryouts. Before the accident, Lisette dropped her third child off at soccer practice. The third child was another son and he was not in the car at the time of the head-on collision.
Daniel was sent to be hospitalized in the ICU while Ashley was sent to a local trauma center. Daniel was discharged from the hospital after five days. The Villasenor family revealed that he is recovering at home.
WHO WAS THE AT-FAULT DRIVER?
The at-fault driver’s vehicle seen moments after the DUI crash. Source: KTLA.
The at-fault driver in the SUV was identified as 41-year-old Jose Vargas from Adelanto. Vargas was driving while intoxicated at the time of this incident. Also, police disclosed that Vargas had many other DUI convictions prior to this crash.
The at-fault driver, Vargas, was uninjured and charged with murder.
Vargas has multiple prior DUI convictions from several different counties. He’s received a DUI from Orange county, Los Angeles county, San Bernardino county, and San Diego county.
According to KTLA, Vargas received the “Watson Advisement” for at least two of the DUI convictions. The advisory stated that Vargas could be charged with murder if he continues his behavior and it results in someone losing their life.
Vargas pleaded not guilty but is due back in court within the next couple of weeks.
THE FAMILY OF THE VICTIMS AFTER THE WRONGFUL DEATH DUI ACCIDENT
The Villasenor family. Source: KTLA.
The Villasenors are fighting for justice for their family as well as arguing for harsher penalties on the subject of drunk driving.
Giron expressed that “It should not take the death of someone’s life for a DUI arrest to be taken seriously.”
Moreover, to help with the family’s funeral and medical expenses, a GoFundMe was created. By May 25, over $35k had been raised for the Villasenors.
Accidents like these should never happen and it is a true tragedy when one does occur. Our hearts go out to the Villasenor family.
If you have any questions regarding a head-on collision case, you should contact a head-on collision attorney immediately.