Suspect arrested in fatal collision that killed pregnant woman, unborn baby in Santa Paula

Santa Paula police Wednesday arrested a man in connection with a fatal collision in October that killed a 27-year-old pregnant woman and her unborn baby. 

A 2-year-old girl also in the vehicle survived the crash. 

Police arrested Arturo Juarez, 40, of Santa Paula, and the Ventura County District Attorney's Office charged him with felony gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and other DUI-related felony offenses involving injury. He was booked into Ventura County jail and bail was set at $150,000, according to police officials. A bail review hearing in his case is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Jan. 22 in Courtroom 14. 

Juarez appeared in Ventura County Superior Court Thursday in connection with the case and pleaded not guilty. The Ventura County Public Defender's Office was appointed to represent him. 

The investigation conducted in the months following the Oct. 20 crash found that Juarez was the primary cause of the collision and that he was driving at 69 mph in a 35 mph zone. His blood alcohol content was almost twice the legal limit, according to the Santa Paula Police Department.

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The driver of the vehicle carrying the pregnant woman and the 2-year-old was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content over the legal limit. 

The crash happened just after 10:30 p.m. at the intersection of Santa Paula and Bradley Street. The 27-year-old woman and her unborn baby were pronounced dead at the scene. The woman was identified as Alma Cresanto, of Santa Paula. 

The 2-year-old was taken to Ventura County Medical Center then subsequently transported to Children's Hospital of Los Angeles where she has since been released. 

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