Clovis Woman Faces Murder Trial for DUI Death

CLOVIS – A woman is facing stiff charges in court for a drunken driving incident that left a man dead.

Perla Ibeth Vazquez

Perla Ibeth Vazquez, 25, was ordered to stand trial on Thursday for the death of 54-year-old Frank Winslow on October 21. Vazquez had two previous drunk driving convictions and a third one pending in court when she allegedly got in her vehicle while intoxicated and caused an accident on Highway 168.

Vazquez had been at a concert at the Rainbow Room before the fatal crash. She was traveling down the highway in the slow lane when she rear-ended a Jeep Wrangler, causing the Jeep to lose control and go off an enbankment. Winsow, the driver and only person in the Jeep, died in the crash.

Vazquez didn’t stop after the collision despite the fact that the airbags in her car deployed, police said. She was pulled over by a Madera police officer who noticed that her car had major front end damage. Moments after being put in the back of the police car, Vazquez passed out.

“She was arrested for DUI, driving with a suspended license, hit and run and booked for murder,” said Axel Ryes with the Cailfornia Highway Patrol.

Fast forward 10 months later and Vazquez is in court facing those charges and more. Prosecutors argued, and Judge Gary Orozco agreed, that she should face murder charges because Vazquez knew of the dangers of driving drunk and she knew that anyone with a previous DUI could be charged with murder if they caused someone’s death while driving drunk. Prosecutors claimed that Vazquez just didn’t care.

Vazquez faces the possibility of 15 years to life in prison if convicted. Winslow’s family also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Vazquez.

Read More:

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Fresno Bee: Fresno Woman Faces Trial in DUI Fatality