South Bay Woman Dies In Pursuit, Fiery Crash In Santa Cruz

SANTA CRUZ, CA — A San Jose woman was killed early Wednesday morning in a fiery crash on the Highway 1 offramp at Morrissey Boulevard, officials said.

The driver, Richard Quihuis Jr., 19, of San Jose, ran down the highway after the crash but was stopped by a California Highway Patrol officer and taken to Dominican Hospital with minor injuries, the CHP said in a statement. He was then arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony hit-and-run, felony evading an officer and possession of a controlled substance. Quihuis remained in custody in Santa Cruz Main Jail.

The CHP did not identify the 19-year-old San Jose woman who died; she was a passenger in the car that crashed. Two other passengers — Kenny Tran, 20, and an unidentified 17-year-old girl, both of San Jose — suffered minor injuries, the CHP said.

CHP first spotted the white 2004 Toyota Camry driven by Quihuis around 1:45 a.m., the CHP said. The car appeared to be speeding on the highway north of Dimeo Lane.

CHP officers tried to pull the car over but the driver continued onto southbound Mission Street and through the streets of Santa Cruz, where Santa Cruz police joined in the chase. More CHP officers tried to stop the car at the intersection of Highways 1 and 9.

Quihuis tried to exit the highway at the Morrissey offramp when the car crashed into a concrete curb then into a metal guardrail. Quihuis ran from the car, CHP said.

The passenger next to the driver was able to exit on their own before the car burst into flames, CHP said. The two passengers in the backseat of the car were extricated by police, including the 19-year-old woman who was pronounced dead at the scene.

The road was temporarily closed overnight.

The CHP continues to investigate the crash.