Driver behind bars after crash that killed three near the Mark Ryan Estates

UPDATE 6/3/2019 12:00 p.m. The Monterey County Sheriff’s office has identified the victims who died in a suspected DUI crash Friday. Blanca Estela Rangel, 49, of Salinas, Maria Teresa Rangel, 43, of Salinas and Manuela Marta Torres, 58, of Salinas were killed.

Investigators say Hilda Valencia, 28, of Salinas was driving under the influence when she hit an SUV head-on on San Miguel Canyon Road in Prunedale.

Valencia was taken to the hospital but now has been booked into the Monterey County Jail.

UPDATE 6/1/2019 9:30 P.M. A Salinas woman involved in a crash that killed three people is now behind bars.

Police say 28-year old Hilda Valencia was driving under the influence when she hit an SUV head-on on San Miguel Road in Prunedale Friday.
Valencia was taken to the hospital with the other driver but was transferred to the Monterey County Jail Saturday.
She faces drug DUI—and vehicular manslaughter charges.

UPDATE 5/31/2019 2:00 p.m. 27-year-old Hilda Valencia Flores from Salinas was arrested for DUI after a crash that killed three people on San Miguel Canyon Road.

The crash happened at around 5:54 a.m. on Friday. A Chevrolet Malibu was driving southbound in the northbound lane north of Hambey Lane. The Malibu hit a Chevrolet HHR that was traveling in the northbound lane head-on.

As a result of the impact, three female passengers in the Chevy HHR were pronounced dead at the scene. A fourth woman, the driver of the Chevy HHR, was taken to Natividad Medical Center with major injuries. The identities of the four people in the car have not been released.

The CHP says Flores was driving the Malibu and was arrested for DUI. She was also taken to Natividad Medical Center with major injuries.

Officials say everyone in both cars was wearing a seatbelt.

KION spoke with the man who says he called 911. David Morales was on his way to work in Felton, when he saw the aftermath of the crash.

“I heard the woman screaming, and another guy pulled up to me and said lets go help them out,” Salinas resident David Morales said.

According to Morales, he and others tried to help but there wasn’t much they could do.

“It was shocking for me. We went to the next car and noticed two girls were down that were dead,” Morales said.

CHP has not revealed what Flores is suspected of being under the influence of.

UPDATE 5/31/2019 10:00 a.m. A 27-year-old Salinas woman has been arrested on DUI charges after a two car crash that killed three people.

The CHP says a Malibu was driving the wrong way and hit a white Chevrolet that had four people in the car. Three of the passengers died and the driver was taken to Natividad Medical Center with major injuries.

The crash happened on San Miguel Canyon north of Prunedale just before 6 a.m. Friday morning.

UPDATE 5/31/2019 8:45 a.m. The California Highway Patrol confirms that three people have died as a result of a head-on crash north of Prunedale.

Crews are still at the scene investigating the cause of the crash.

PREVIOUS STORY: The California Highway Patrol confirms they are investigating a fatal head-on crash north of Prunedale.

CHP says at least one person was killed in the crash, but could not provide more information.

The accident happened on San Miguel Canyon Road near the Mark Ryan Estates just before 6 a.m. Friday morning.

As of 6:45 a.m., the CHP was reporting that San Miguel Canyon Road is closed until further notice between Mark Ryan Estates and Hambey Road.

This is a developing story