PORTERVILLE, Calif. (FOX26) — Seven children are now without their parents after an accused drunk driver slammed head-on into two couples riding motorcycles on Highway 65 near Avenue 196.
Two married couples were driving back home to Porterville on motorcycles – – each couple on one motorcycle.
The California Highway Patrol says 24-year-old Jazmin Paramo was driving the wrong way down the road and slammed head-on into the two bikes.
FOX26 News spoke with the family of one of those couples, Rita and Jose Vargas, on Monday.
“How am I going to bury my daughter? How am I going to do that?” asks Irma Vasquez, the mother of Rita Vargas.
“A drunk driver taking the life of my son-in law and my daughter. And now we’re left with the pain. Now my grand kids are without their parents.”
Rita Vargas had just turned 40 years old. Her husband Jose was 42.
“My daughter was a good person. She was such a sweet, loving person,” says Vasquez.
The couple leaves behind two sons.
15-year-old Julian will be living with his 23-year-old brother, Isaiahs.
“I’m trying to be strong. There’s times, like right now, where I want to cry, but I just don’t know how to express it.”
Isaiahs says his mother was incredibly caring, and his father was always there when he needed him.
“When I graduated kindergarten, when I graduated middle school. When I graduated from high school. And then PC. But he won’t be there to see me graduate from Fresno State. So I’m trying to continue that for them.”
The California Highway Patrol says Jazmin Paramo, the driver who hit the motorcyclists head-on, was under the influence of alcohol and possibly drugs.
“You hear it every day. Every day, about drunk drivers. Every single day. But who would have thought our family would ever be going through this,” Vasquez says.
Rita’s sister, Corrina Escalera, says she hopes Paramo is given the maximum sentence for her crimes.
“Because this wasn’t an accident. This was something that you decided to do, and take away from all of us.”
Irma Vasquez adds that she hopes Paramo will reflect on what she has done. “I hope you hold this in your heart, and you remember this for the rest of your life, that you took innocent people because of your senseless act.”
The other couple involved was 48-year-old Gilbert Vargas and 41-year-old Mitzi Vargas. They leave behind five children.
They’d had started a motorcycle club called Los Cochinos, and Rita and Jose Vargas were members.
Rita’s family says she had been convinced to join Jose on the motorcycle about two years ago.
Riding with her husband had become her passion.
Families of both couples have set up GoFundMe accounts, you can find Gilbert and Mitzi Vargas’ account here.
You can find Jose and Rita’s account here.
Source: FOX26 News