Man charged with murder over crash that killed Nipomo native

February 24, 2017

Tricia Jensen

Cameron Oliver

A Santa Maria man who crashed in Orcutt after allegedly driving drunk at speeds above 125 mph is facing murder charges. The crash killed two women, one of whom was originally from Nipomo. [KSBY]

Around 1:40 a.m. on Feb. 6, Cameron Oliver, 25, was driving northbound on Highway 135 near Waller Park when he drove through a fence separating the highway and Orcutt Road. The car reportedly hit a telephone pole and rolled several times before coming to a stop in front of the Los Pinos apartments.

Three Santa Maria residents — one man and two 37-year-old women — were passengers in the vehicle at the time of crash. One of the women, Leann Stauffer, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The second woman, Tricia Jensen, who grew up in Nipomo, was taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and placed on life support following the crash. Jensen died at the hospital.

The male passenger survived the crash with moderate injuries. Officers arrested Oliver at the scene for DUI.

On Thursday, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office announced it charged Oliver with two counts of murder and one count of DUI causing injury. Prosecutors also charged Oliver with enhancements for having a blood alcohol level above .15, driving at least 30 mph over the speed limit and having a previous DUI conviction.

The criminal complaint filed against Oliver states the Santa Maria man was convicted of DUI in San Diego in 2014. Oliver is due in court in Santa Barbara County on Monday.

Jensen left behind three children. A GoFundMe page for her survivors has raised $18,050.


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finally while on probation arrested with bail revoked a dead body and bail it was a potentially life term i dont know what these judges are thinking along with the releasing department of that government agency i bet they found his prints in the records


Let shouts of blaming the victim ring out, but anyone out partying with someone who has been drinking all night bears some blame for getting in the car with a drunk driver. The passengers had as much choice as the driver. They all took the chance nothing would go wrong and they’re all paying a price.


The real question is: “Why are two middle-aged Women, Mothers with Children doing driving around at this ungodly time of the morning bar-hopping with men 10-15 years their younger”?


It should be obvious there is sadly more to this story than meets the eye with tragically those who are to pay the greatest were not in the vehicle at the time.


Prayers


Cindy Lauper said it well – girls just want’a have fun!


GOOD, he deserves it. Driving while DRUNK and Causing a high speed accident that kills somebody warrants the full extent of the law. Hope he rots in jail…

I suspect he will skate like lois capps aid did and pay no real penalty… So sad, those mothers lost their lives and left little ones behind…


Why in the world would anyone get in the car with a drunk driver?


I’m sorry, the passengers did not deserve to die, and now there are three children who have to grow up without a mother because she chose to get in a car with a drunk.


I cannot believe how stupid people can be. Wow!


Clearly Cameron Oliver doesn’t have the right connections otherwise he would have been charge with very minor offenses and likely not serve anytime in jail and have no real consequences. It happens all the time, it’s all about who you are or know.