Coroner Identifies Woman Killed In Suspected DUI Crash

NAPA COUNTY, CA — A passenger who died in a suspected DUI crash in late August on Highway 128 in unincorporated Napa County was identified by the Napa County Sheriff-Coroner's Office as Maria Amparo Patterson, 51, of Winters.

Shortly before 6 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 27, the California Highway Patrol responded to a report of a solo-vehicle crash involving a GMC Yukon SUV in the vicinity of state Highway 128/Sage Canyon Road and Lower Chiles Valley Road.

The CHP later determined the crash happened earlier Sunday morning as the GMC was traveling eastbound on SR-128, approaching Lower Chiles Valley Road, at a left curve in the road.

"The driver was unable to manipulate the curve in the road and allowed the GMC to leave the roadway," CHP Officer Jaret Paulson said. "The GMC crashed down an embankment causing it to overturn several times."

Patterson suffered fatal injuries as she was ejected from the car, Napa County Sheriff's Office Spokesperson Henry Wofford told Patch.

She was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:39 a.m. Aug. 27, Wofford said.

The driver, identified as 54-year-old Stephen Carter Patterson, was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI, the CHP said at the time of the crash.

He was later released on $500,000 bail.