A tragic incident in California claimed the lives of a pregnant woman and her unborn child after a suspected DUI driver collided with her vehicle over the weekend.
Bianca Esquivel, 24, who was expecting her second child, lost her life in a crash that occurred in Anaheim, near Los Angeles, around 12:04 a.m. on Sunday.
Daniel Ramos, 24, from Riverside, has been taken into custody, facing charges of felony DUI and vehicular manslaughter.
The unfortunate event took place at the junction of North Anaheim Boulevard and the SR-91 freeway, according to a statement from the Anaheim Police Department.
Prior to the collision, Esquivel and her boyfriend, Oscar, had visited an In-N-Out Burger to satisfy a pregnancy craving and were on their way back home.
Oscar, who was hospitalized following the crash, recounted that Esquivel screamed as another car seemed to appear suddenly before colliding with them.
‘We were laughing on the way back, we were just smiling,’ he told ABC7. ‘It was so fast.’
‘She was my best friend,’ Oscar continued, adding that they were ‘excited’ to welcome their second child. ‘We were already planning stuff, buying clothes.’
A pregnant woman and her unborn baby have been killed after an alleged DUI driver smashed into her car in California over the weekend. Bianca Esquivel (pictured), 24, who was expecting her second child, died amid the crash in Anaheim at around 12.04am on Sunday
Alleged DUI driver Daniel Ramos (pictured in his mugshot), 24, from Riverside, has been arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence and vehicular manslaughter
Anaheim Police detectives believe that Ramos’ Lexus Sedan ran a red light before striking the couple’s Toyota at a high speed.
Ramos ‘exhibited objective signs and symptoms of impairment’, the department said.
He was arrested at the scene, and appeared dazed in his mugshot.
Photographs from the scene show a crumpled Toyota vehicle, which officers found Esquivel trapped inside when they rushed to the highway.
Medics tried to save her life, but she was pronounced dead in the car along with her unborn baby.
Oscar was rushed to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, along with two passengers from Ramos’ vehicle.
Esquivel’s relatives have launched a GoFundMe page to support Oscar and her four-year-old son in the aftermath of the tragedy.
‘Bianca was a devoted mother, a beloved sister and daughter, and a caring girlfriend,’ the page reads.
‘She was preparing to return to school to pursue a degree in accounting and had her entire life ahead of her.’
Esquivel (pictured with her son) had just visited In-N-Out burger joint with her boyfriend Oscar to satisfy a pregnancy craving, and they were heading back to their home in the city
Her boyfriend Oscar was also injured in the crash. He did not want his face to be pictured
Ramos is being held at the Anaheim Detention Facility. He has not yet been charged.
Police said he may face additional counts due to the victim being pregnant.
‘Anaheim Police Department Traffic Investigators are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding this collision,’ the department said.
Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Anaheim Police Department at (714) 765-1900.
