Driver in Fiesta Island Cycling Crash Competent for Trial: Judge

A woman accused of slamming into a group of cyclists on Fiesta Island last summer was ruled mentally competent to stand trial, a judge decided on Friday.

Theresa Owens, 49, was undergoing a trial this week to determine if she understands the charges against her and can assist in her defense. She faces charges of felony DUI and possession of a controlled substance.

A judge ruled on Friday afternoon, after hearing testimony from psychiatrists, that Owens was fit to stand trial.

Police say she was under the influence of methamphetamine on Aug. 12 when she drove the wrong way on the Mission Bay island and hit about 10 cyclists. During her arrest, a bag of meth was found in her vagina, prosecutors allege.

The psychiatrist who evaluated Owens had earlier said she had bipolar disorder marked by persistent delusions about her mother and boyfriend.

He said she was having a hallucination that her boyfriend “appeared and disappeared” during the crash.

However, a psychiatrist for the prosecution testified Owens met the legal standard for mental competency.

Ten people were injured in the Fiesta Island crash in August, including La Jolla father Juan Carlos Vinolo, who is now paralyzed.

The crash prompted the city of San Diego to improve signs and road safety in the area to prevent another incident.

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