UPDATE: Tuesday, August 6, 2019 – 24-year-old Jazmin Paramo has been charged with four felony counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, one felony count of driving the wrong way on a divided highway causing injury or death, and one misdemeanor count of driving on a suspended license.
If convicted on all counts, Paramo faces up to 16 years in state prison.
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PORTERVILLE, Calif. (FOX26) – Seven children are now without their parents after an accused drunk driver slammed head-on into two couples riding motorcycles on Highway 65 near Avenue 196.
Two married couples were driving back home to Porterville on motorcycles – – each couple on one motorcycle.
The California Highway Patrol says 24-year-old Jazmin Paramo was driving the wrong way down the road and slammed head-on into the two bikes.
FOX26 News spoke with the family of one of those couples, Rita and Jose Vargas, on Monday.
Two married couples were driving back home to Porterville on motorcycles – – each couple on one motorcycle.
“How am I going to bury my daughter? How am I going to do that?” asks Irma Vasquez, the mother of Rita Vargas.
“A drunk driver taking the life of my son-in-law and my daughter. And now we’re left with the pain. Now my grandkids are without their parents.”
Rita Vargas had just turned 40 years old. Her husband Jose was 42.
“My daughter was a good person. She was such a sweet, loving person,” says Vasquez.
The couple leaves behind two sons.
15-year-old Julian will be living with his 23-year-old brother, Isaiahs.
“I’m trying to be strong. There’s times, like right now, where I want to cry, but I just don’t know how to express it.”
Isaiahs says his mother was incredibly caring, and his father was always there when he needed him.
“When I graduated kindergarten when I graduated middle school. When I graduated from high school. And then PC. But he won’t be there to see me graduate from Fresno State. So I’m trying to continue that for them.”
FOX26 News spoke with the family of one of those couples, Rita and Jose Vargas, on Monday. MORE
JAZMIN PARAMO,
Date of Birth 06/07/1995,
Race – Gender H – F Facility, BOB WILEY DETENTION FACILITY
Booking, 08/04/2019, Arresting Agency: H’WAY PATRL
Bond Amount $0.00 Court Release Date Court Date – Court Time: 10/02/2019
Charges: SC-PV23
VC23153(A)-DUI OF ALCOHOL AND DRUGS CAUSING INJURY
VC23153(B)-DUI WITH .20% BLOOD ALCOHOL CAUSING INJURY
PC191.5(A)-GROSS VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER WHILE INTOXICATED
VC14601.1(A)-DRIVING WHEN PRIVILEGE SUSPENDED OR REVOKED
VC21651(C)-DRIVING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC
CHRISTOPHER SANCHEZ, Date of Birth 01/18/1996 Race – Gender H – M Facility ADULT PRE-TRIAL FACILITY
Booking: 08/11/2019
Arresting Agency VISALIA Police, Bond Amount $155,000.00 Court Release Date Court Date – Court Time 08/12/2019
Charges PT-SC
VC14601.5A-DRIVE PRIVILEGE SUSPENDED/REVOKED REFUSE CHEMICAL
VC14601.2(A)-DRIVING WHEN PRIVILEGE SUSPENDED FOR PRIOR DUI CON
VC23247(E)-UNLAWFUL VEHICLE OPERATION
VC14601.2(A)-DRIVING WHEN PRIVILEGE SUSPENDED FOR PRIOR DUI CON
14601VC-DRIVING ON SUSPENDED/REVOKED LICENSE
PC1203.2(A)-VIOLATION OF PROBATION
