Driver in Fiesta Island Cycling Crash Appears in Court

By R. Stickney • •

The woman accused of driving the wrong way on Fiesta Island and crashing into a group of cyclists, injuring many of them, appeared for a pretrial hearing Tuesday.

Theresa Owens, wore reading glasses on the top of her head and looked very different from her initial court appearance where she pleaded not guilty to a charge of felony DUI with injury and possession of a controlled substance.

AP
Theresa Owens appeared at her arraignment on August 15, 2014.

San Diego police said Owens was driving her vehicle on Fiesta Island Road around 6:30 p.m. on August 12 when her car struck about 10 cyclists in a larger group finishing up a training ride.

Six people went to the hospital with injuries, including Juan Carlos Vinolo, who was paralyzed.

After the crash, Owens was found to have a baggie of meth hidden in her vagina, a deputy district attorney revealed at her August 15 arraignment.

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Joel Price
Image provided to NBC 7 by Clairemont resident Joel Price of the crash on Fiesta Island.
NBC 7
Images of the collision between a driver and a group of cyclists riding on Fiesta Island on August, 13, 2014.
NBC 7
Images of the collision between a driver and a group of cyclists riding on Fiesta Island on August, 13, 2014.
Juan Vinolo Family
Juan Carlos Vinolo is paralyzed from the chest down, his family says.
NBC 7
Images of the collision between a driver and a group of cyclists riding on Fiesta Island on August, 13, 2014.
NBC 7 News Chopper
A car plowed into a group of bicyclists on Fiesta Island on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2014.
Beatrice Dormoy (inset) had just recovered from a recent crash when she was struck in the wrong-way collision on Aug. 12.
Kawika Photographer
Logan Bass provided this image of him on his bike.
Logan Bass provided this image of him on his bike.
Vinolo with family in this image provided to NBC 7 by his wife, Emma.
Vinolo was always safe when he was riding his bike, his wife told NBC.
NBC 7
Images of the collision between a driver and a group of cyclists riding on Fiesta Island on August, 13, 2014.
NBC 7
Images of the collision between a driver and a group of cyclists riding on Fiesta Island on August, 13, 2014.
NBC 7
Images of the collision between a driver and a group of cyclists riding on Fiesta Island on August, 13, 2014.
NBC 7
Images of the collision between a driver and a group of cyclists riding on Fiesta Island on August, 13, 2014.

The preliminary hearing in the case was scheduled to begin Tuesday however the judge rescheduled it for Oct. 31.

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If convicted, Owens could face a maximum punishment 12 years and eight months in prison.

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