Investigation shows passenger caused accident by
interfering with driver
IMPERIAL -- Imperial County sheriff's officials investigating a rollover
that occurred Monday morning on Highway 86 and Larsen Road
determined the passenger of the vehicle caused the accident due to
interfering with the driver.
Veronica Driscoll, 54, of El Centro was driving her vehicle north on
Highway 86 with her son Gary Anthony Ray, 34, who was a passenger.
They were arguing before the accident occurred, officials said.
Imperial County Sheriff's Office Lt. George Moreno said, according to
Driscoll, Ray for unknown reasons grabbed and tugged on the steering
wheel of the car then the vehicle swerved off the road.
When Driscoll attempted to control the vehicle she overcorrected and
the vehicle rolled several times, Moreno said.
Both Driscoll and Ray were transported to El Centro Regional Medical
Center for scrapes and lacerations suffered in the accident, said Moreno.
While Gold Cross officials was transporting Ray he became combative
and for unknown reasons struck one of the emergency medical technicians
in the nose causing it to bleed, he said.
Moreno said Imperial County sheriff's deputies interviewed both Driscoll
and Ray at the hospital and both said that Ray grabbed the steering wheel
of the car. However, Ray added he was just reaching over to give his
mother a hug when the incident occurred.
Driscoll did not want to press charges against Ray nor did the EMT who was
struck in the nose. The Imperial County Sheriff's Office will submit a report
to the District Attorney's Office against Ray for interfering with a driver of
a vehicle and causing an accident.