An Oxnard man has been convicted of second-degree murder in a DUI crash that claimed the lives of a grandmother and her granddaughter, the Ventura County District Attorney's Office announced. Jacob Anthony Caliboso was found guilty by a jury of fatally striking Elva Andrade and her 7-year-old granddaughter Nevaeh Gomez while driving under the influence of drugs.
On June 22, 2020, Caliboso was driving under the influence of Xanax and marijuana when he swerved into oncoming traffic on Pleasant Valley Road near Oxnard, crashing head-on into the victims' motorcycle; Ms. Andrade died at the scene and her granddaughter succumbed to her injuries the following day at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. According to the Ventura County District Attorney, the California Highway Patrol found Caliboso was traveling at around 55 mph and did not apply brakes before the collision.
Investigators uncovered over 1,000 Snapchat photos and videos suggesting a pattern of drug use and reckless driving by Caliboso in the weeks leading up to the tragic incident, including posts made on the day of the fatal crash showcasing his drug consumption. "I am grateful to the California Highway Patrol for their tireless investigation in this case, because of their efforts, the jury heard overwhelming evidence of the defendant’s knowledge of the dangers of using drugs and driving," Deputy District Attorney Stephanie Leija said, as per the Ventura County District Attorney. The verdict is seen as a strong stance against impaired driving within the community.
Caliboso is scheduled for sentencing on June 11 and has been taken into custody without bail, as confirmed by the Ventura County District Attorney, his actions on that fateful day have now been judged, and have brought devastation to bear on a family, the heartache echoing through the courtroom as justice's gears turned slow, but sure. This case, marked under number 2020017676, has concluded with a jury holding Caliboso accountable for the irreversible harm his substance-fueled negligence unleashed upon the Andrade-Gomez family.
