| For Immediate Release Case #: TBA January 20, 2011 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
WRONG-WAY FREEWAY DRIVER CHARGED WITH KILLING TWO PEOPLE IN HEAD-ON CRASH
SANTA ANA – A wrong-way freeway driver has been charged with killing two people by causing a head-on crash. Anthony Louis Fragoso, 21, South Gate, is charged with two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter by unlawful manner of driving with gross negligence with sentencing enhancements for causing great bodily injury. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison. The People will be requesting Fragoso be held on $150,000 bail at his arraignment. The date and Department of the arraignment are to be determined.
At approximately 12:45 a.m. on Jan. 19, 2011, Fragoso is accused of driving at a high rate of speed in the wrong direction in the carpool lane of California State Route 91 in Anaheim. Numerous witnesses called 911 to report the wrong-way driver.
Fragoso is accused of driving in his Mercedes-Benz sedan into oncoming traffic and crashing head-on into a Toyota Scion, killing the two occupants. Driver Alan Reyes, 26, and passenger Vanessa Cease, 24, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Fragoso was transported to University of California, Irvine Medical Center for major traumatic injuries. He is currently still hospitalized and will be taken into custody upon his discharge. Toxicology reports are pending.
The California Highway Patrol investigated this case. Senior Deputy District Attorney Susan Price of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.
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