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April 12, 2010· scvtalk.com · WordPress (SCVTalk 3.0) · Wayback capture

Arrests made in fatal crash

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KHTS is reporting an arrest has been made in the fatal crash early this morning:

Two people have been arrested for causing the deaths of four children in a midnight crash Monday that also resulted in the death of a Frazier Park man on the rain-slicked southbound I-5 freeway.

Victor M. Jarillo, 34, of Los Angeles, was arrested for vehicular manslaughter and being an unlicensed driver. His passenger, Joana M. Avina, 27, also of Los Angeles, was taken into custody for providing false information to investigating officers.

From the article, it appears Mr. Jarillo was driving the Suburban that rear-ended the Altima with the four kids in the back seat:

Officer John Lutz, spokesman for the Newhall CHP office said that just before midnight, John J. Blackburn, 54, of Frazier Park, was driving his 1996 Mazda pickup truck southbound on the freeway and, for unknown reasons, swerved and hit the center divider. The truck overturned into traffic lanes, where it was struck by a 1996 Nissan Altima driven by Francisco J. Enciso of Daly City. The Nissan was then struck in the rear by a 1994 Chevy Suburban driven by Jarillo. Along with Avina, Jarillo was carrying two minor passengers, Emmanuel Jarillo, 1, and Jesus Jarillo, 2, both of Los Angeles.

Another question is answered on seat belts:

The children were wearing seatbelts, but Lutz pointed out that four children were strapped into a seat that only had three seat belts and there was no safety seat for the youngest child.

There is still blood on the hands of the individuals that put the four kids in the back seat of that Altima, including driver Francisco Enciso and passenger / mother of three of the four kids Yessica Milan.  If nothing else, the death toll would be one less.

Arrests made in fatal crash

Comments (36)

  1. JeffApril 12, 2010 at 3:11 pm
    Makes me sick to my stomach. I also want to know why the driver of the pickup suddenly swerved into the center divider. Asleep? Under the influence? Was he trying to avoid something? Thank goodness my wife made it home safely last night; she was driving in that weather too
  2. Timothy MyersApril 12, 2010 at 3:42 pm
    Jeff: A reliable source tells me that the pickup truck was filled with empty beer cans.
  3. BrianApril 12, 2010 at 7:54 pm
    The CHP didn’t mention this, why?
  4. spineflower2April 12, 2010 at 3:17 pm
    Must be more to this story. Why would car#3 be charged with vehicular manslaughter? There wer etwo wrecked cars in front of him, and he hit one. How is this a crime? I have no issue arresting him for driving without a license, but VM???
  5. spineflower2April 12, 2010 at 5:44 pm
    Depends… if the accident was a ways ahead of them, they would be approaching a dark mess with no lights on the smashed cars, and probably debris in the lanes. One can be following at a reasonable distance, and not be safe from ANY AND ALL eventualities ahead. You would need about 1/4 mile between cars to ensure that, and drive about 25 mph! I doubt that is the legal standard. Like I said, there must be a little more to this that stated so far. And I am sure it will come out.
  6. spineflower2April 12, 2010 at 5:46 pm
    For example, suppose the accident started in the lane NEXT to you. You are not obligated to keep distance from traffic in adjacent lanes, just in YOURS. But in an accident where cars are playing pinball with the guardrail, they are liable to jut in front of you even though a fractions of a second before you were driving slowly and with a safe separation form the car ahead of you.
  7. Your Web GuruApril 12, 2010 at 3:30 pm
    From what I know culled from lawyers in the family and also the incident where Brandy (the R&B singer/actress) was charged with the same thing in a car accident (She beat it, or so I remember), at-fault accidents involving death usually result in a vehicular manslaughter charge based on the conclusion of the investigation by law enforcement. If the driver was going at a speed deemed unsafe for such conditions whereby he may have avoided such fatal injuries had he been more cautious, that may be grounds for such a charge.
  8. BrianApril 12, 2010 at 5:19 pm
    There was a very fine line between maintaining and losing control last night. Hit a few of the puddles and the vehicle pulls and hydroplanes. Only the idiots and the young drivers didn’t slow down below 55. The far left lanes were the worst. Which lanes were these people driving in I wonder? What was the condition of their tires?
  9. ReaderMamaApril 12, 2010 at 5:30 pm
    The three cars involved were all at least 14 years old. I’m betting all of them were in need of maintenance of some sort.
  10. Jim FarleyApril 12, 2010 at 7:26 pm
    On my way home on the 210 West in Lake View Terrace this afternoon a sudden hail storm hit. I witnessed the aftermath of three seperate accidents in a stretch less than one mile and a fourth that occured right in front of me. It is amazing how fast weather can turn a freeway lethal. People just don’t respond well to weather. I cringe when I see folks stay packed together on the freeway at any time, but even more so with weather. May God bless those that lost their lives over something so preventable.
  11. KHamptonApril 12, 2010 at 7:55 pm
    This is just so sad, I can’t imagine how awful that poor mother feels when she learns all of her kids are gone. What was she thinking, not using a carseat and piling those poor kids in the backseat? I was also confused with the VM charge on the driver of the Suburban…as the third in the chain reaction. Yes, charge for driving without a license then trying to cover it up, however is it fair to lay the deaths of those people on him? So, so tragic…I just want to wrap my kids in bubble wrap and never let them out of my sight. Prayers are with the families of all involved.
  12. Need for Involved CitizenryApril 13, 2010 at 6:18 am
    While this is indeed a tragic episode, it is not surprising given the conditions. Only the foolish don’t adjust their driving in these conditions. While Jeff may rail against those who want better enforcement of immigration rules, I’d bet him a dinner that Jarillo and Avina, the folks in the Suburban were undocumented – hence no license and no insurance. Last time the Sheriff’s were in our neighborhood enforcing speeding, the deputy indicated he wrote 4 tickets and had one tow away for no license, no insurance. This is a huge problem because of the number of undocumented folks here. Jeff – Would you feel different about the situation if your wife spun out in the rain and was killed by an undocumented alien who never had drivers training, passed a drivers test, had no license and no insurance?
  13. CastaicClayApril 13, 2010 at 6:59 am
    It is not just you, but why does it always boil down to this?
  14. Jeff JApril 13, 2010 at 9:08 am
    “Would you feel different about the situation if your wife spun out in the rain and was killed by an undocumented alien who never had drivers training, passed a drivers test, had no license and no insurance?” A) I am guessing he would feel no differently than if it was a driver with a sterling record who had insurance and had taken drivers ed, in the end the fatality is not dampened by being killed by an experienced driver. B) It is IGNORANT and a more than a little repugnant for you to be tossing these assertions around with no evidence that this was actually the case, based solely on their last names. C) Illegal Immigrants are not somehow more dangerous on the roads than people on cell phones, people driving too fast for conditions etc. There is no evidence that they are inherently more unsafe drivers and to suggest as much is again repugnant. They are indeed more likely to not have insurance, but then how much insurance would it take to bring these 4 children back to life exactly? Your post and the accompanying attitude sadden me to know that we are neighbors.
  15. JessApril 13, 2010 at 9:58 am
    Jeff – so you’re saying that illegal untrained unlicensed uninsured drivers (that apparently lie to the cops) are just as safe as legal, licensed drivers? Yea, uh huh. Right. I was rear ended by an illegal man with no insurance and nothing ever even happen to him. My insurance ended up paying for everything. My car was stopped, I was at a drive through and this person rear ended me. Real safe. My heart goes out to all the people killed. What a horrible incident all around.
  16. Jeff JApril 13, 2010 at 10:25 am
    A) Nice try, that’s not what I am saying at all. B) I am saying first and foremost that it is repugnant to assume that they are illegal based on their last name only. If the man had been named Mike Smith and unlicensed this assumption would not be made. There was nothing reported whatsoever to tell us these individuals were illegal immigrants. To make this accident about illegal immigration without any facts to support it is wrong. It does not matter if 3 days from now we find out that they are illegals, this post would still be disturbing because of the quickness to assume that. C) I was rear ended several years back by a perfectly legal citizen, she was a female and she had no insurance either, she was fined for the incident but in the end my insurance had to cover it as well. Someone being an illegal immigrant in no way inherently means they are less experienced as a driver. Did you go through drivers training as a kid? I did, mine was a JOKE, if you were a bad driver when you started you were a bad driver when you finished, if you were good to start you were good to finish, plain and simple. D) TO be perfectly clear, trying to turn this tragic accident into an agenda on illegal immigration based on the info we have is IGNORANT.
  17. Jeff JApril 13, 2010 at 10:28 am
    Additionally, I see Legal, trained, Licensed, insured drivers on my commute every day doing things like texting, reading, applying makeup etc. Thank god for that plastic card ensuring that someone is smart behind the wheel.
  18. JessApril 13, 2010 at 10:29 am
    Yes, actually, I would assume that – no matter what the last name – why on earth would they be driving at that time in the rain with children in the car with no license? In addition we have a large illegal population in Cali and in Santa Clarita. It’s safe to assume in my opinion that they are illegals. Sorry if that bothers you. Otherwise why would they lie to the cops??
  19. JessApril 13, 2010 at 10:30 am
    Jeff – you need that “plastic card” to get insurance, do you not? And as proof of identity? These things must not be to important to you and to you for your community. THAT makes ME sad. I want my community to be SAFE.
  20. Jeff JApril 13, 2010 at 10:44 am
    Good lord, I realize now that I have become embroiled in a mini debate with a ridiculous person who chooses not to utilize any form of logic, so I will step aside from it. If anyone wants to have a coherent discussion on the topic and would not make the following asinine arguments: a) that they would assume “Mike Smith”: was an illegal immigrant if he didn’t have a license, b) Doesn’t realize that people lie to the cops for other reasons beside being illegal immigrants, c) Does not think it is “safe to assume” anyone with a hispanic last name is illegal due to the “large illegal population in Cali and in Santa Clarita” d) Would not be absurd enough to think I was arguing against the validity of drivers licenses, but instead pointing out that they do not insure that someone is a safe driver. e) does not drop gems of wisdom like “why on earth would they be driving at that time in the rain with children in the car with no license?” As an argument to support the fact they are illegal. If you are able to avoid those types of ignorant starting point I would love to continue to discuss the issue coherently, if not babble on to someone else.
  21. JessApril 13, 2010 at 10:43 am
    Also: “D) TO be perfectly clear, trying to turn this tragic accident into an agenda on illegal immigration based on the info we have is IGNORANT.” Turn this around on yourself. You seem to have more of an agenda on this topic then anyone else here. Bottom line: They had no license. They lied to cops. Put two and two together and don’t try and make it something else.
  22. JessApril 13, 2010 at 10:49 am
    You’ve “won” the discussion by your amount of insults to me. Good job! Now I’ll kindly stop reading your blog.
  23. Jeff JApril 13, 2010 at 11:23 am
    Correct, which is why I post as Jeff J so as not to imply that I am the Jeff that runs this blog, however, maybe I need to come up with a pseudonym to avoid that confusion.
  24. Spineflower2April 13, 2010 at 2:34 pm
    Yeah, but then you’ll get AC on your tail!
  25. Jeff JApril 13, 2010 at 2:39 pm
    Oh yeah, that’s right, I forgot about that…. hmmmm. How about “Jeff (But not the one that runs this blog)” A bit wordy…
  26. JessApril 13, 2010 at 10:54 am
    Thanks for the clarification!
  27. brookApril 13, 2010 at 12:36 pm
    echoing what CastaicClay said.
  28. cashApril 13, 2010 at 1:56 pm
    Jess, supongo que tienes razón y que pronto se enterará de su estado de inmigración ilegal. Gracias por mantener su cabeza fuera de la arena. No hay estadísticas que convencer a algunos que hay un problema con los ilegales. No importa qué tan precisa la estadística puede ser. Enviado por Mike Smith
  29. JessApril 13, 2010 at 2:00 pm
    Having some fun with Babel Fish?
  30. Jeff JApril 13, 2010 at 2:14 pm
    Well according to babelfish: “Jess, I suppose that you are right and that soon one will find out its state of illegal immigration. Thanks to maintain its head outside the sand. There are no statistics that to convince to that there is a problem with the illegal ones. It does not matter what so precise the statistic can be. Envoy by Mike Smith” So that clears things up
  31. Spineflower2April 13, 2010 at 2:40 pm
    If I were a betting man, I would say the odds favor the arrestees being illegal. Doesn’t change the facts of the accident, doesn’t bring back the dead, doesn’t make anything easier. But coldly guessing at odds, and speculating (which is what gamblers do), the combination of the woman’s arrest for giving false information, combined with the vehicular manslaughter charges, favor that case. There is no reasonable cause to rrest driver#3 in a 3-car accident, lacking a viable outside party report of reckless driving. There would simply be no evidence and no cause. On the other hand, if you wanted to hold the driver on some charge in order to give immigration services a shot at them, then maybe VM fits the bill nicely… Just speculatin’…
  32. Spineflower2April 15, 2010 at 8:47 am
    I should have put money on it… Charges have not been filed against the driver of a Suburban who crashed into a Nissan Altima early Monday morning on the rain-slick I-5, but the Signal says he’s being held on an “immigration detainer,” which means he might be eligible for deportation
  33. Your Web GuruApril 13, 2010 at 2:47 pm
    Accidents happen, period. This wasn’t a situation involving DUI, high-speed racing or anything else that would be considered reckless. Rather a few people got caught up in terrible weather and unfortunately (at least from what I’ve read) made errors in driving judgment that caused a tragedy. It doesn’t matter the status of the people involved, or whether kids ‘should have been in bed’ or whatever. This same accident could have happened at 3 in the afternoon. I think it is especially crass and out of good taste to render unfounded speculation regarding any of the victims in this tragic event, whether at-fault or not. They have enough to go through at this point and I would think that any one of us would totally dislike being the subject of wild rumors on a local blog were we involved in such an accident. Has this blog made us so heartless and self-indulgent that we have lost all ability to have any feeling of empathy?
  34. JessApril 13, 2010 at 3:06 pm
    It isn’t just this blog. This discussion has popped up just about everywhere this story has. Personally though I think it *is* careless to drive at that hour in that weather with four kids in the back. Just sayin. It is tragic, but it was also carelessness.
  35. Jeff (But not the one that runs this blogApril 13, 2010 at 4:20 pm
    If this discussion, ie the immigration status of individuals involved in this weather aided driving tragedy, has actually popped up everywhere this story has, then it truly is a statement about our lack of compassion and feeling as a community. The need to politicize and sensationalize this particular incident with the political scrum du jour is truly crass IMO. You may be entirely correct that it is “careless to drive at that hour in that weather with four kids in the back,” but that’s not what we have been discussing, in fact it wasn’t even that carload of people that we have been discussing with regards to immigration status. Additionally, the hour and weather of the driving conditions in no way illuminate their immigration status as you alluded to earlier.
  36. JessieApril 15, 2010 at 9:24 am
    Basically I think people get upset across the interwebs… because since he was an illegal, he shouldn’t have even been on the roads. He wasn’t a trained licensed or insured driver. I think that’s why it’s upsetting. I hope they deport him.

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