The CHP identified the mother accused of driving drunk and crashing along Interstate 15 Wednesday morning, killing her 5-year-old daughter and leaving her 3 and 1-year-old children with critical injuries.
Investigators say Kapri Raven Coleman, 27, was driving northbound on I-15 past Gopher Canyon Road, when her sedan, with three of her children inside, went off the roadway and rolled over.
Coleman's 5-year-old and 3-year-old daughters were ejected in the collision, and her oldest daughter didn't survive the crash, the CHP said. Coleman's younger daughter and her 1-year-old son, who was restrained in a car seat, suffered critical injuries and were airlifted to Rady Children's Hospital.
The CHP believes alcohol was a factor in the crash. According to records, Coleman daces four felony counts; gross vehicular manslaughter, two counts of DUI causing bodily injury, and child cruelty.
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The North County Fire Protection District said the crash was reported just before 2:30 a.m. Coleman's 2009 Hyundai Genesis crashed about 150 feet down a steep embankment, the NCFPD said.
“For reasons that are still under investigation, the vehicle veered off the shoulder, down an embankment and overturned,” Juan Escobar, Public Information Officer for CHP's Oceanside-area office, said Wednesday.
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Coleman suffered minor injuries and was taken to a hospital by ambulance following the crash.
“This is a tragic event," Officer Escobar said. "It’s something that could be easily avoided. Please, don’t drink and drive. Please be sure that you do drive the speed limit and that you also wear your seatbelts.”
Anyone with information about the crash is being urged to call the CHP Oceanside office at (760) 643-3400.
