A 40-year-old Rancho Cucamonga woman died and three other people, including a 6-month-old girl, were hospitalized after a driver intentionally rammed their vehicle at the intersection of Day Creek Boulevard and Wilson Avenue on Sunday, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Deputies were sent to the scene at about 9 p.m., the department said. The department says the driver, a 32-year-old Oceanside woman, will be arrested and booked on murder and attempted murder charges once she is medically cleared.
Victim Identified as Rancho Cucamonga Resident
The woman who died was identified as Leslie De Belen, a 40-year-old Rancho Cucamonga resident who was pronounced dead despite lifesaving efforts, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
. De Belen was riding in a vehicle that carried four occupants at the time of the three-vehicle collision on Nov. 1.
The other three occupants of De Belen’s vehicle, all Rancho Cucamonga residents, were also taken to another hospital for treatment, per the sheriff’s department. The occupant of a third vehicle involved in the crash was not injured, the department noted.
Driver Accused of Intentionally Striking the Victims’ Vehicle
Detectives’ investigation found that the driver, identified as 32-year-old Oceanside resident Julia Kunkel, intentionally struck the victims’ vehicle while driving the first car involved in the crash, the sheriff’s department said. Kunkel was described by the department as injured and uncooperative, and she was transported to Pomona Valley Medical Center for treatment. The sheriff’s department said she will be arrested and booked for murder and attempted murder once she is medically cleared.
The Homicide Detail is investigating the case.
Sheriff Urges Witnesses to Come Forward
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is asking anyone with information to contact the Homicide Detail at 909-890-4904. Anonymous tipsters can also call or text We-Tip at 844-909-3006, the department said.
This is not the only fatal crash to strike Rancho Cucamonga’s intersections in recent years: a separate two-vehicle collision at Hermosa Avenue and 6th Street on Jan. 31 killed 34-year-old Rancho Cucamonga resident Brenda Kimberly Jimenez and injured three others, according to fontanaheraldnews.com. That crash, which happened around 5:25 p.m., is a separate case and not evidence of any broader pattern in the city.
No further details about what led up to Sunday’s collision, including a possible motive, have been released. The investigation remains active, and deputies have not said whether Kunkel has since been formally arrested or charged.
