An 86-year-old Menifee woman died Thursday in a traffic accident that resulted in the arrest of the driver of the other vehicle on felony DUI charges.
The name of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, according to a Riverside County Sheriff's Dept. report. The woman was a passenger in a Saturn vehicle that was making a left turn from eastbound McCall Blvd. onto northbound Encanto Drive when the car was struck by a Chevrolet SUV traveling west on McCall.
According to police, the investigation determined that the driver of the SUV was distracted by her 3-year-old child in the back seat. Her vehicle entered the intersection against a red light.
The driver of the Chevrolet was determined to have been operating her vehicle while under the influence, police said. Melissa Dean-Baumann, 37, of Fallbrook was arrested and booked at the Southwest Detention Center for felony DUI, manslaughter, and felony child endangerment.
The driver of the Saturn suffered serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The passenger was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation is continuing. Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or may have further information is asked to call the Menifee Police Department Traffic Division at 951-210-1000.![]()
The name of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, according to a Riverside County Sheriff's Dept. report. The woman was a passenger in a Saturn vehicle that was making a left turn from eastbound McCall Blvd. onto northbound Encanto Drive when the car was struck by a Chevrolet SUV traveling west on McCall.
According to police, the investigation determined that the driver of the SUV was distracted by her 3-year-old child in the back seat. Her vehicle entered the intersection against a red light.
The driver of the Chevrolet was determined to have been operating her vehicle while under the influence, police said. Melissa Dean-Baumann, 37, of Fallbrook was arrested and booked at the Southwest Detention Center for felony DUI, manslaughter, and felony child endangerment.
The driver of the Saturn suffered serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The passenger was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation is continuing. Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or may have further information is asked to call the Menifee Police Department Traffic Division at 951-210-1000.
