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UPDATE: Suspect posts bail following Santa Maria crash that killed 2 from Atascadero

Posted at 3:15 PM, Mar 18, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-18 18:15:49-04

(UPDATE 3:10 p.m.) – The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office says the suspect, Javier Artemos Cortes, 27, of Santa Maria. posted bail, which was set at $100,000, the day of the crash and is due in court April 17.


 

ORIGINAL STORY: Authorities have identified the two people killed in asuspected DUI crash in Santa Maria over the weekend as Madison Elizabeth Coleman, 17, and Monica Gonzalez, 20, both from Atascadero.

The crash happened at around 3 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Donovan Rd. and Miller St.

Santa Maria police say the Jeep  Coleman and Gonzalez were in was hit in the intersection by another vehicle driven by Javier Artemos Cortes, 27, of Santa Maria.

Police have said which girl was driving the Jeep but have said Cortes was determined to be at fault for the crash.

Another passenger in the Jeep, said to be between the ages of 18 and 20, was ejected from the vehicle and remained in critical condition as of Monday afternoon, police said.

The condition of a fourth person in the vehicle was unknown as of Monday afternoon, according to police, who did say everyone in the Jeep was from San Luis Obispo County.

Lt. Russ Mengel with the Santa Maria Police Department told KSBY, “The speeds at which the collision occurred were quite high” leaving debris scattered throughout the area.

Cortes was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of DUI and vehicular manslaughter.