A 26-year-old man with a prior DUI conviction allegedly struck and killed a Carlsbad, California, mother of three in a hit-and-run Tuesday night, and now faces a second-degree murder charge.
Vanessa Wheyland was found lying in the roadway near Redwood Avenue and Carlsbad Boulevard, close to Tamarack Beach, with major injuries just before 8 p.m., the New York Post reported. She was rushed to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The driver, Fernando Saldana of Escondido, allegedly fled the scene.
Saldana did not get far. Carlsbad police tracked him to a location just over a mile from the crash site using evidence left at the scene, information from community members, and automated license plate readers. He was arrested and booked into the Vista Detention Facility.
Because Saldana already had a prior DUI conviction on his record, prosecutors charged him with second-degree murder under California's "Watson Murder" doctrine, a legal rule that allows a murder charge when a driver who has been convicted of DUI before kills someone while driving under the influence again. He also faces charges of leaving the scene of a collision resulting in injury or death, driving under the influence causing injury or death, and gross vehicular manslaughter. He is set to appear before a judge Friday.
Wheyland was the CEO of Wheyland Electric, a prominent electrical contracting company serving Carlsbad and the greater San Diego area. She was a graduate of San Diego State University. Friends described her as a devoted wife and mother whose family was the center of her life.
Nicole Check, who organized a GoFundMe campaign for Wheyland's family, wrote:
"Last night, Vanessa was tragically struck and killed by a driver, leaving behind her loving husband and three children."
Check added that Wheyland "was a devoted wife, an incredible mother, and a cherished friend whose love and presence touched so many people." She wrote that Wheyland's "family was her entire world, and this devastating loss has left everyone who loved her heartbroken."
Loved ones planned to hold a vigil at Tamarack Beach on Thursday night. A memorial has already been set up near the crash site.
The crash site near Tamarack Beach is not unfamiliar with dangerous collisions. Neighbors who spoke with NBC 7 San Diego described a pattern of crashes along the roadway, though specific details about prior incidents and fatalities were not provided.
One Instagram user captured the frustration many Californians feel after yet another DUI fatality: "So sad, CA needs tougher deterrents and stronger laws."
That sentiment cuts to the core of the case. Saldana had already been convicted of driving under the influence once before. The system processed that first offense, and he was back behind the wheel, allegedly impaired again, allegedly willing to leave a woman dying in the road.
The Carlsbad Police Department has not released any information regarding Saldana's citizenship status. Key questions remain unanswered: what substance was involved, what his blood alcohol content was at the time of the crash, and what specific evidence police recovered at the scene. His bail status has not been disclosed.
Under California law, the Watson Murder doctrine exists because the state recognized decades ago that a person who drives drunk after a prior DUI conviction has already been warned, formally, by a court, that drunk driving can kill. A second fatal incident is not treated as an accident. It is treated as murder.
Saldana now faces that charge. If the allegations hold, the legal system gave him a second chance after his first DUI, and a mother of three paid the price.
Vanessa Wheyland built a business, raised a family, and contributed to her community. Fernando Saldana, prosecutors allege, had already been told by a court that driving drunk could kill someone. He allegedly did it anyway, and then ran. The Watson Murder charge exists because first chances are supposed to mean something, and when they don't, someone else pays.
