A Bakersfield teenager was killed Monday by a suspected drunk driver, who has one prior conviction of driving under the influence.
Police say 33-year-old Martin Juarez was driving the wrong way on Coffee Road when he slammed into another car, driven by 18-year-old Breana Webb.
The crash happened just north of Stockdale Highway around 3:45 a.m. Monday. Juarez was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Court records show this is not the first time Juarez has been arrested for suspicion of DUI. In 2005, he pleaded guilty to DUI and was sentenced to three years probation.
18-year-old Webb graduated this year from Frontier High School. Friends said she was outgoing, fun, and always knew how to make people laugh.
"During my tenure here, we have not experienced something of this magnitude," said Dan Shannon, Frontier High School Principal.
"We're providing grief counseling for students. We've provided an area, and our counselors are well trained in working with students with difficult situations like this," he continued.
Coffee Road was shut down for nearly eight hours Monday, as police tried to piece together what happened. Officers say Jaurez was driving drunk in a white Scion, heading south in the northbound lanes of Coffee Road, toward Stockdale Highway, when he crashed into a black Toyota Corolla. Police say Webb was driving the Corolla and died at the scene.
"The two vehicles collided head-on," explained Sgt. Lance O'Nesky, Bakersfield Police Department.
Friends said Webb and a group were heading home from a friend's house.
"There were three other passengers in the Corolla taken to Kern Medical Center. I have no specifics on their injuries, except they are not likely to be fatal," said O'Nesky.
Police say a fourth person in the Corolla was not taken to the hospital. Juarez received minor injuries and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Under California law, Juarez can be charged with murder because of his previous DUI conviction.
