Post by Adam on Nov 13, 2006 15:15:15 GMT -5
www.thedenverchannel.com/news/10305621/detail.html
Driver Of Pickup That Killed Five People Dies At Hospital
www.thedenverchannel.com/news/10306489/detail.html
Wrong-Way Drunken Driver Kills Family
Teenage Girl, Family's Dog Are Only Survivors
Driver Of Pickup That Killed Five People Dies At Hospital
SANTA FE, N.M. -- A motorist with at least five DUI convictions in Colorado has died in New Mexico after allegedly killing five members of a Las Vegas, N.M., family on Interstate 25.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano said Dana Papst, 44, of Tesuque, N.M., had been driving a pickup the wrong way on Interstate 25 near Santa Fe when he hit a minivan head-on early Saturday.
Papst was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where he died Sunday morning while in surgery.
Solano said blood samples taken at the hospital showed Papst had a blood-alcohol content of .32 -- four times the state's legal limit for driving.
An open can of beer found in Papst's truck and the smell of alcohol first alerted investigators to the possibility alcohol was involved, the sheriff said.
The family that died was returning from a soccer match in Bernalillo, N.M. Paul Gonzales, 36; his wife, Renee Collins-Gonzales, 39; their daughters Jacqueline Gonzales, 11; Selena Gonzales, 11; and Alicia Garcia, 17, who was Paul Gonzales' stepdaughter, died.
Solano said 15-year-old family member Arissa Garcia survived, suffering a broken left forearm, a minor fracture to her hip, and bruises on her chest and head.
Solano said a check of Colorado records indicated that Papst had been arrested five times in Colorado for driving under the influence of alcohol. He also said Papst had been convicted of drunken driving three times.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano said Dana Papst, 44, of Tesuque, N.M., had been driving a pickup the wrong way on Interstate 25 near Santa Fe when he hit a minivan head-on early Saturday.
Papst was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where he died Sunday morning while in surgery.
Solano said blood samples taken at the hospital showed Papst had a blood-alcohol content of .32 -- four times the state's legal limit for driving.
An open can of beer found in Papst's truck and the smell of alcohol first alerted investigators to the possibility alcohol was involved, the sheriff said.
The family that died was returning from a soccer match in Bernalillo, N.M. Paul Gonzales, 36; his wife, Renee Collins-Gonzales, 39; their daughters Jacqueline Gonzales, 11; Selena Gonzales, 11; and Alicia Garcia, 17, who was Paul Gonzales' stepdaughter, died.
Solano said 15-year-old family member Arissa Garcia survived, suffering a broken left forearm, a minor fracture to her hip, and bruises on her chest and head.
Solano said a check of Colorado records indicated that Papst had been arrested five times in Colorado for driving under the influence of alcohol. He also said Papst had been convicted of drunken driving three times.
www.thedenverchannel.com/news/10306489/detail.html
Wrong-Way Drunken Driver Kills Family
Teenage Girl, Family's Dog Are Only Survivors
SANTA FE, N.M. -- Five members of a family heading home from a soccer tournament died after their minivan was hit by a pickup truck going the wrong way on a New Mexico highway.
The driver of the pickup later died, too. Authorities said his blood-alcohol content was four times the legal limit, plus they found an open container of alcohol in his truck.
The accident happened Saturday night on Interstate 25 near Santa Fe.
The sheriff of Santa Fe County says 44-year-old Dana Papst had three drunken driving convictions in Colorado but still had a valid New Mexico's driver's license.
Killed in the minivan were a 36-year-old man, his 39-year-old wife and their three daughters, ages 10, 11 and 17. A 15-year-old daughter is the only survivor. She was injured.
The family lived in a Las Vegas neighborhood where people waved at passing cars and everybody knew each other, according to KOAT-TV in Albuquerque, N.M. The neighbors were left with heavy hearts Sunday night.
"I couldn't believe it. I remember those little girls coming over. Their mom did pottery," said neighbor Dolores Urioste.
Urioste was talking about her young neighbors along Mullins Drive, Jacqueline, 11, and Selena Gonzales, 10. Those two young girls, along with their parents Paul Gonzales, 36, and Renee Collins-Gonzales, 39, and stepsister, Alicia, 17, died Saturday evening in the crash just north of Santa Fe. Urioste saw pictures on the news Saturday night but it wasn't until Sunday morning that her daughter told her who was inside the car.
"She said, 'Mom, it was Paul and Renee.' And I said, 'You're kidding," Urioste said.
Arissa, 15, is at St. Vincent's Hospital recovering. She is the sole survivor of the crash. She is a high-school sophomore. Her sister, Alicia, was a senior. The other two younger girls were in elementary school.
Santa Fe County sheriff's deputies said when they were removing the wreckage of the vehicles Sunday morning, they found the Gonzales' family dog, which somehow survived the crash.
Papst died in surgery Sunday after suffering from internal injuries. His death brought the total number of deaths to six.
Papst is the man investigators said caused the crash. Santa Fe Sheriff Greg Solano said blood was taken from Papst at the hospital and it was tested for blood-alcohol content. It registered at .32, or four times the legal limit. KOAT-TV reported that Papst, who lived in Tesuque, had been arrested five times for DWI in Colorado.
Monday school officials will have grief counselors on hand at the schools.
The driver of the pickup later died, too. Authorities said his blood-alcohol content was four times the legal limit, plus they found an open container of alcohol in his truck.
The accident happened Saturday night on Interstate 25 near Santa Fe.
The sheriff of Santa Fe County says 44-year-old Dana Papst had three drunken driving convictions in Colorado but still had a valid New Mexico's driver's license.
Killed in the minivan were a 36-year-old man, his 39-year-old wife and their three daughters, ages 10, 11 and 17. A 15-year-old daughter is the only survivor. She was injured.
The family lived in a Las Vegas neighborhood where people waved at passing cars and everybody knew each other, according to KOAT-TV in Albuquerque, N.M. The neighbors were left with heavy hearts Sunday night.
"I couldn't believe it. I remember those little girls coming over. Their mom did pottery," said neighbor Dolores Urioste.
Urioste was talking about her young neighbors along Mullins Drive, Jacqueline, 11, and Selena Gonzales, 10. Those two young girls, along with their parents Paul Gonzales, 36, and Renee Collins-Gonzales, 39, and stepsister, Alicia, 17, died Saturday evening in the crash just north of Santa Fe. Urioste saw pictures on the news Saturday night but it wasn't until Sunday morning that her daughter told her who was inside the car.
"She said, 'Mom, it was Paul and Renee.' And I said, 'You're kidding," Urioste said.
Arissa, 15, is at St. Vincent's Hospital recovering. She is the sole survivor of the crash. She is a high-school sophomore. Her sister, Alicia, was a senior. The other two younger girls were in elementary school.
Santa Fe County sheriff's deputies said when they were removing the wreckage of the vehicles Sunday morning, they found the Gonzales' family dog, which somehow survived the crash.
Papst died in surgery Sunday after suffering from internal injuries. His death brought the total number of deaths to six.
Papst is the man investigators said caused the crash. Santa Fe Sheriff Greg Solano said blood was taken from Papst at the hospital and it was tested for blood-alcohol content. It registered at .32, or four times the legal limit. KOAT-TV reported that Papst, who lived in Tesuque, had been arrested five times for DWI in Colorado.
Monday school officials will have grief counselors on hand at the schools.