This undated Marion County Sheriff's Department booking photo provided by the Oregon State Police shows Favian R. Garcia of Gervais, Ore. Authorities say a mother and her four children were killed in a head-on crash with Garcia near Salem on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017. The two cars were negotiating a corner when they crashed, but the cause is still under investigation. Gervais sustained minor injuries. (Marion County Sheriff's Dept./Oregon State Police via AP)
October 09, 2017 - 2:43 PM
SALEM, Ore. - Authorities say a mother and her four children were killed in a head-on crash near Salem by a drunken driver who has a previous conviction for driving while intoxicated.
The two car crash happened at 4:41 p.m. Sunday when a Land Rover driven by Favian R. Garcia, 27, of Gervais, collided with a Buick Century head-on, the Oregon State Police said Monday. The Land Rover was heading north, and the Buick was heading south. The two cars were negotiating a corner when they crashed.
The Buick was driven by Lisette Medrano-Perez, 25, from Molalla.
Her four children - an 8-year-old boy, a 6-year-old boy, a 4-year-old girl and a 2-year-old girl - were pronounced dead at the scene.
Garcia, who had minor injuries, was arrested Monday on suspicion of five counts of manslaughter, driving while intoxicated, reckless driving and outstanding warrants from Marion County. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney.
Court records show Garcia pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of intoxicants in 2011 and was arrested on suspicion of the same crime in July.
He was wanted on an outstanding warrant in that case for failing to appear for a July court hearing in Marion County.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017