DUI driver kills motorcyclist and 9 year old passenger

Anyone with information is urged to call the CHP during business hours
at (408) 467-5400.

SAN JOSE MAN HELD FOR DUI

By Yomi S. Wronge

Mercury News

A San Jose man is in jail on suspicion of drunk driving after a fatal
crash on Highway 87 Thursday night that killed a man and a child.

The California Highway Patrol arrested Julian Figueroa, 36, on
suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. He faces a charge
of felony DUI.

Meanwhile, police are seeking witnesses to the fatal crash, which
occured at 9:49 Thursday on Highway 87.

It appears that a 1974 BMW motorcyle driven by a 30-year-old San Jose
man either stopped or slowed in the median that separates the main
portion of southbound Highway 87 from the Interstate 280 transition.
Police say Figueroa crashed his 1994 Mercury Sable into the motorcyle,
killing the driver and his young passenger, a 9-year-old girl from San
Jose.

The victims, who have not been identified, were pronounced dead at the
scene. CHP Officer Les Bishop said the two were not related.

The driver was a friend of the family and was picking her up from a
concert at Cesar Chavez Park at the request of her mother,'' Bishop
said.

So far, no eyewitnesses have stepped forward, so it remains unclear
exactly what caused the motorcyclists to be in the median.

That's big blank we have right now, what exactly lead up to this
motorcycle being in the median,'' Bishop said.

Anyone with information is urged to call the CHP during business hours
at (408) 467-5400.

 

I suppose the CHP is looking for a reason to exonerate a drunk driver due to
the biker being in the median, a known reason for drunks to be Not Liable
for killing someone on a *motorcycle*