DUI Suspected In Fatal San Jose Highway 101 Crash: CHP

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — A woman who was killed in a vehicle collision on northbound U.S. Highway 101 early Sunday morning has been identified today by the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office. Jaime Pena, 20, was killed in the three-vehicle collision reported at 4:28 a.m. Sunday, when the vehicle she was a passenger in — a black BMW sedan — was struck by a Toyota minivan that was later hit by a big-rig on northbound Highway 101 south of Tully Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.

CHP Officer Ross Lee said Pena was a San Jose resident. The driver of the BMW, Juan Obiedo, 29, of San Jose was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, Lee said.

He was transported to a hospital with serious injuries and has not yet been booked into jail, according to Lee.

Officers are trying to determine who was at fault and Obiedo may face additional charges after investigators finish their collision report, Lee said.

According to the CHP, the BMW came to a stop on the highway and did not have its lights on. A tan Toyota minivan hit the rear of the BMW, spun around 180 degrees and stopped with its lights off as well.

The driver of the Toyota got out of the minivan and ran to the right shoulder, CHP officials said.

A blue big-rig traveling at about 50 mph then hit the Toyota, causing the minivan to spin around, veer to the right and eventually stop over a storm drain. The collision damaged the oil pan on the big-rig and it leaked about 8 gallons of engine oil into a storm drain.

A Caltrans crew responded and cleaned up the oil in the storm drain. All lanes of the freeway reopened at noon.

By Bay City News Service

Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone