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Bartender charged with murder in Santa Maria DUI crash

September 28, 2024

By KAREN VELIE

Prosecutors recently charged a bartender who caused a fatal crash on Highway 101 in Santa Maria earlier this month with murder.

After initially filing charges of manslaughter and DUI, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office added the murder charge after discovering 34-year-old Kendra Cordova worked as a bartender and had completed classes on the dangers of drinking and driving. Cordova worked as a bartender for a wedding reception that started on the evening of Sept. 7 and ended on the morning of Sept. 8.

Cordova drank heavily during and after the event.

Shortly before 5 a.m., Cordova headed northbound in a southbound lane on Highway 101. She then crashed head-on into a truck driven by Cecilio L. Camacho, 63, who suffered critical injuries.

Camacho’s wife Alma Teresa Alcorta Del Lazaro, 53, died at the scene.

At 0.26, Cordova’s blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit.

 


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We need to ban motor vehicles


0

There are 11,000 people killed in the US each year in DUI related accidents. Wouldn’t be too hard to put an ignition interlock device on all new cars, to bring that number down. And for anyone who gets in a DUI accident after cheating the device — max sentence.


0

What is wrong with these people who continue to drive while under the influence. This person needs to be in prison for a log, long time. If she is ever caught drinking pruno or any type of drug in prison, her sentence should be life without parole.


-4

Its time to crack down on DUI killers and get them off of the road.


22

Pure negligence. Put her away for life.


13

Agreed.


10