Victim in Alleged DUI Crash Involving Murrieta Driver Dies

This article was originally published at 5:30 a.m. Nov. 6 and updated at 2:20 p.m. Nov. 6.

The victim in a San Jacinto car crash early Sunday—allegedly caused by a Murrieta woman suspected of driving drunk—has succumbed to her injuries, according to an updated report.

The deceased was identified as Emma Araujo, 40, from Long Beach, according to Sgt. Bob Marks with the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner's Office. Araujo died at 11:33 p.m. Monday at Riverside County Regional Medical Center, the sergeant said.

Araujo was the passenger in a Toyota Sienna in the 1:45 a.m. crash Sunday on Ramona Expressway, according to the San Jacinto Police Department. She and the driver of the minivan, whose identity has not been released, were both transported to local hospitals with major injuries.

Yadira Gonzalez, 38, of Murrieta, the driver of a Chrysler PT Cruiser, was arrested and jailed on suspicion of felony DUI with injury as a result of the wreck. She was released Monday from Larry D. Smith Correctional Center after posting $50,000 bond.

"The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges will be considered," stated San Jacinto police Sgt. Scott Burns, in an update published Tuesday.

According to a report from the San Jacinto Police Department, Gonzalez was driving eastbound on the Expressway—west of Lyon Avenue—when she entered a construction area and collided with an Arrow Board Trailer.

The crash impact pushed the trailer into the westbound lane of the Ramona Expressway, where it collided with the Toyota Sienna, according to the report.

Ramona Expressway was closed for approximately 10 hours while members of the San Jacinto Police Department’s Traffic Collision Reconstruction Team conducted their investigation.

Anyone with information regarding the collision was encouraged to call the San Jacinto Police Department’s Traffic Division at 951-654-2702.