Three killed, one injured in suspected DUI crash in Hesperia

Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press
Updated ·2 min read

A driver, who authorities say they suspect was intoxicated, collided head-on into a vehicle, killing three and injuring another on Tuesday night in Hesperia.

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Victorville resident Pavlo “Pablo” Padilla, 45, who was behind the wheel of a black 2016 Chevrolet Suburban.

Deputies suspect Padilla was intoxicated when he collided head-on with a blue 2005 Toyota Corolla driven by Pedro Valencia-Perez, 58, of Barstow.

Three people were killed and another injured during a two-vehicle collision on Tuesday afternoon on Mariposa Road near Mesquite Street in Hesperia.
Three people were killed and another injured during a two-vehicle collision on Tuesday afternoon on Mariposa Road near Mesquite Street in Hesperia.

The collision resulted in the death of Valencia-Perez and his passengers, Rosa Saucedo-Negrete, 59, and Jose Valencia-Saucedo, 22, both of Barstow.

A third passenger in the Toyota, Francisco Valencia-Saucedo, 21, of Barstow, suffered major injuries.

San Bernardino County first responders called to collision

Sheriff’s officials reported that at 3:42 p.m. on Tuesday, deputies and San Bernardino County Fire personnel responded to a traffic collision on Mariposa Road, just south of Mesquite Street.

The area is north of El Centro Road and east and near Interstate 15 and Highway 395.

Arriving deputies determined that Padilla was driving a Chevrolet Suburban north on Mariposa Road, while Valencia-Perez was driving a Toyota Corolla south on the same road.

Padilla drove north onto southbound Mariposa Road and collided head-on with Valencia-Perez's vehicle.Both vehicles sustained major damage, police said.

Despite life-saving measures, Valencia-Perez and one of his passengers died at the scene. A second passenger was later died at a regional trauma center, according to the sheriff's department.

Deputies arrest suspect

A preliminary investigation determined that drugs and/or alcohol were a factor in the crash, sheriff’s officials said.

Padilla, who was seriously injured, was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and felony DUI causing injury/death, according to the sheriff’s department.

Mariposa Road between Joshua Street and Ranchero Road was closed for several hours while deputies from the Hesperia Major Accident Investigation Team processed the scene.

Anyone with information about the collision can contact the Hesperia Station at 760-947-1500 or sheriff’s dispatch at 760-956-5001. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to contact the We-Tip Hotline at 800-78CRIME (27463) or wetip.com.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Hesperia DUI crash kills three people, injuries one