A tragedy struck Napa County when a minivan veered off the road and collided with a tree, resulting in the deaths of six farmworkers and leaving two individuals, including the driver, with serious injuries. The incident, which occurred around 5:50 PM near the intersection of Pope Valley Road and Howell Mountain Road, has left the community and the families of the victims in mourning. The driver, identified as 53-year-old Norberto Celerino Villalva of Stockton, was arrested on suspicion of DUI and homicide, as reported by Hoodline. Skid marks on the road pointed investigators to the sudden drastic sequence of events leading to the crash.
In the vehicle's aftermath, one survivor has articulated a chilling account of the collision. Marbin Santiz Ruiz, now recovering with major injuries, remembered the fatal moment in an interview with KCRA, saying, "We crashed into a tree." Ruiz also expressed feelings of isolation from his hospital bed, disclosing, "I'm worried. [When you're alone] nobody checks in or visits you."
The extent of Villalva's criminal history has been detailed in court records, revealing multiple previous DUI convictions. According to Hoodline, he was involved in a domestic violence case, pleading guilty just last week. The Napa County Coroner's Office has been tasked with releasing the names of the deceased, upon notification of their relatives. The minivan's speed and whether the victims were wearing seatbelts when the accident occurred are currently under investigation.
Napa County prosecutors have levied against Villalva six counts of murder, six felony counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and one felony count of DUI causing injury with two prior convictions. Ruiz's testimony about Villalva's condition before the drive adds to the gravity of the situation, as he recalled to KCRA that, "He reeked of alcohol." Furthermore, recent revelations by the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office confirm Villalva's DUI convictions dating back to 2010, 2020, and as recently as 2024.
An investigation is ongoing as authorities delve into the specifics of the crash, including Villalva's status as a farmworker and the circumstances that led to him driving the group on that ill-fated evening. With court records showing a pattern of leniency towards alternative jail programs, questions regarding the enforcement of sentencing emerge. "The court does not monitor if jail was served or if an alternative jail program was completed," a court system spokesperson stated, underlining a systemic issue in the follow-through of court-ordered programs, as noted by KCRA.
