A 20-year-old Riverside woman died after being thrown from a Jeep that flipped while off-roading in a dry lakebed near Calico, and the man who was driving now faces a manslaughter charge and is suspected of DUI. Lylianne C. Parsons was identified as the victim of the rollover, which happened early Saturday, October 10, in unincorporated San Bernardino County.
The crash occurred in a dry lakebed west of Calico Road and north of Calico Boulevard, according to VVNG. A 22-year-old man from Yermo was driving the Jeep through the lakebed with Parsons as his passenger when the vehicle overturned, fully ejecting her. She suffered major injuries to her pelvic area, and emergency crews transported her to Barstow Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Authorities said alcohol and/or drugs were considered contributing factors in the crash, though they have not specified whether the driver was under the influence of either substance, the outlet's report notes. The crash remained under investigation by the CHP Barstow Area office as of this week, and officials have asked anyone with information to contact Officer M. Powell at (760) 255-5900.
Driver Booked, Facing Manslaughter Charge
The driver has been identified as Jeremiah Albert Vanek, a 22-year-old Yermo resident, who was arrested by the California Highway Patrol, per inmate records cited in the same VVNG report. Vanek was initially hospitalized for treatment following the wreck before he was booked into jail, as reported by Yahoo News.
Prosecutors filed a manslaughter charge, identified by Yahoo as gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. Yahoo's report states that Vanek pleaded not guilty to a count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, though VVNG's own reporting says available court records did not specify whether he entered a plea. Bail was set at $250,000, according to Yahoo.
Vanek had a video arraignment in the Victorville branch of San Bernardino County Superior Court at 8:15 a.m. on October 14. A pre-preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 20 at 8:30 a.m. in Department R20 of the Rancho Cucamonga courthouse before Judge Christian Towns, and a preliminary hearing is set for October 26 at 8:30 a.m. in Department V10 of the Victorville courthouse before Judge Miriam I. Morton. The available court listing references a bail hearing, but it does not specify whether bail was modified during arraignment.
Community Rallies Around Infant Daughter
Parsons was a mother to a 7-month-old daughter, and a GoFundMe titled “In Loving Memory of Lylianne Parsons” has been launched to help cover cremation expenses and provide financial support for the child. The campaign was created by Le Ann Clark, according to the station's report.
“It is with the heaviest hearts that we share the heartbreaking and tragic loss of Lylianne Parsons, a beautiful soul who was taken from this world far too soon,” the organizer wrote on the fundraiser page. “No family should have to worry about the financial stress of laying their loved one to rest while trying to navigate such devastating grief.”
The organizer also asked for broader community support beyond donations. “If you are able to donate, any amount, no matter how small, will make a difference,” the post reads. “If you are unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser and keeping this family in your thoughts and prayers means more than you know.”
A Pattern on California's Roads
Impaired driving remains one of the leading causes of fatal and serious-injury crashes statewide. The California Office of Traffic Safety reported that 1,355 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes in 2023.
For now, the case against Vanek moves toward its pre-preliminary and preliminary hearings later this month, while investigators continue piecing together what happened in the dry lakebed that night. Parsons' family, meanwhile, is focused on laying her to rest and caring for the daughter she left behind.
