A Long Beach woman had fentanyl, methamphetamine and marijuana in her system when she allegedly struck three bicyclists with her car in Huntington Beach in October, killing one and leaving the other two critically injured, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday, Dec. 16.
Reflecting the newly completed toxicology report, more serious charges were added Tuesday against Amber Kristine Calderon, 43, to include vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated with gross negligence, driving under the influence of drugs causing bodily injury, possession of hard drugs with two or more prior convictions, hit and run causing permanent injury or death and two counts of hit and run with injury, said Kimberly Edds, spokeswoman for the DA’s office.
The toxicology reports returned Dec. 10 confirmed the substances in her system, leading to the upgraded charges, Edds said.
Calderon faces a maximum possible sentence of more than 12 years in state prison if convicted as charged, Edds said.
About 6:45 a.m. on Oct. 20, Calderon was allegedly driving to work in her Mercedes Benz sedan southbound on Pacific Coast Highway when she hit three men on bicycles from behind as they rode in the bike lane between Beach Boulevard and Newland Street, Huntington Beach police have said.
Killed in the crash was 45-year-old Eric John Williams of Garden Grove, a father of four and innovative pastor who loved specialty coffee, had a passion for cycling and had a talent for connecting deeply with others, his friends have said.
Williams had just celebrated 20 years of marriage with his wife, Robyn, and was the founder of the Community Church of West Garden Grove after working as a youth and teaching pastor at Seaside Community Church in Huntington Beach, they said.
“Ms. Calderon set in motion a series of events that would rip a young family apart through no fault of its own,” District Attorney Todd Spitzer said, “and those young children will bear the consequences of her actions as they celebrate all of life’s milestones without their father.”
Calderon continued southbound after the crash for more than half a mile despite having a flat tire, significant damage to her hood and windshield and a missing passenger side rearview mirror, prosecutors said. She barreled through a state park parking lot kiosk without paying before she was blocked by another motorist who saw the crash and followed her.
She was arrested the same day.
At the request of prosecutors, an Orange County Superior Court judge also gave Calderon a Watson advisement – in which the judge warns that if a person drives under the influence in the future and kills someone, he or she can be charged with murder.
Calderon was also ordered not to drive, consume alcohol or drugs without a prescription, possess drugs without a prescription and not to visit any establishment where marijuana is the primary item of sale, Edds said.
Calderon is out of custody after posting $100,000 bail, though prosecutors tried to ask for a higher bail amount when charges were first filed, Edds said.