Napa, CA – A Napa woman charged with gross vehicular manslaughter in a crash that killed her two young children had her bail reduced from $1.5 million to $500,000 during a court hearing on Tuesday. The hearing also revealed new details about the timeline of the March 16 accident, which officials initially believed occurred around 7:30 a.m. but is now believed to have happened nearly three hours earlier.
Yesica Barajas, 33, is accused of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol when her vehicle crashed into a tree off the Highway 29 offramp at West Imola Avenue. Her children, Damian Montanez, 10, and Aaliyah Montanez, 9, were found deceased at the scene. Prosecutors allege that the crash took place around 4:45 a.m., and the family wasn’t discovered until approximately 7:30 a.m., a revelation that added a new layer of complexity to the case.
During the hearing at Napa County Superior Court, Deputy District Attorney Katie Susemihl outlined the updated timeline, stressing the severity of the crash and the time gap between the accident and the discovery of the victims. “The facts of this case are very egregious,” Susemihl told Judge Scott Young, who presided over the hearing. The prosecutor’s comments were aimed at opposing a request from Barajas’ defense attorney, Robert Casper, to reduce her bail.
Despite the gravity of the charges, which include child abuse and driving under the influence causing injury, the judge agreed to lower Barajas’ bail to $500,000, a figure more typical for cases of this nature. Conditions for her potential release include abstaining from alcohol and drugs, avoiding driving, and staying at home except for work-related purposes.
Casper expressed some satisfaction with the decision, stating, “While we would have preferred she be released on recognizance, we are of course pleased bail was lowered.”
Barajas, who was hospitalized after the crash, has been incarcerated at the Napa County Jail since March 24. She has not yet entered a plea. In addition to gross vehicular manslaughter, she faces charges of child abuse and driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, which led to the death of her children.
The case continues to unfold, with the community grappling with the tragic loss and the legal proceedings still in their early stages. The timeline of events and the charges against Barajas have added a layer of complexity to a heart-wrenching situation that remains under investigation.