Schwarzenegger Appointee Kills 4 In DUI Crash
Mar 27, 2007
(CBS13) SACRAMENTO A man arrested in connection with a crash on South Land Park Drive Monday that killed four people has posted bail this morning and has been released.
Robert Vellanoweth, 63, of Sacramento, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of four counts of gross vehicular manslaughter and felony drunk driving charges, officials said.
Today, police said Vellanoweth's blood alcohol level was .16, twice the legal limit.
Vellanoweth was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to the state Board of Optometry in 2006. The Governor's office tells CBS13 that Vellanoweth has been removed from the board for "dishonorable and unprofessional conduct". From 1995-2001 Vellanoweth served on the youthful offender parole board. Before that, he worked for the department of parks and recreation.
Brizchelle Rice, 19, Brittanya Nash, 17, Shanice Carter, 21 and a 18-month-old male, Kamall Osby, were killed when two cars slammed into each other at an intersection of South Land Park Drive and Wymore Way at 3:49 p.m Monday. The vehicles, a late-model Chrysler carrying the five victims, and a Jeep, driven by Vellanoweth were turned into hunks of metal by the force of the impact. The sole survivor of the Chrysler, a 16-year-old girl, sustained serious injuries.
Investigators believe the Chrysler was traveling northbound on South Land Park Drive prior to the collision. The Jeep was traveling southbound on South Land Park Drive and allegedly crossed into on-coming traffic, hitting the Chrysler head-on. Investigators believe that speed an alcohol may have contributed to the crash.
Police don't know if the passengers in the Chrysler were wearing seat belts but say that an appropriate child restraint for the toddler was not in the car.
People nearby who came to help said they could not believe anyone could have survived this crash.
"And I could see her, and she was crying and she was trying to get out, she was trying to get up and see," witness Jerry Kwong told CBS13 News, "Looking at the car, the driver's side is almost non-existent."
A small memorial has formed at the site of accident.
Brittanya and Brizchelle were sisters. Brizchelle was also the mother of 18-month-old Kamall.
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