Yesica Barajas of Napa
OAKLAND, Calif. - A Napa woman arrested for the deaths of her two children in a drunk-driving collision is now facing murder charges, the Napa County District Attorney's Office said last week.
Yesica Barajas, 31, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after a March 16 car crash that left her two children dead.
Barajas was initially charged with two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony DUI causing injuries and two county of felony child abuse. However, during a court appearance last week, the DA upgraded the vehicular manslaughter charges to murder, and the judge ordered she be held without bail.
Barajas is scheduled to appear in court again on Aug. 12 for a preliminary hearing.
Early morning wreck
The backstory:
Barajas was allegedly behind the wheel of a Nissan Maxima on March 16, with her 10-year-old Damian Montanez and 0-year-old daughter Aaliyah Montanez in the back seat. The family was driving south on Highway 29 before sunrise when the vehicle struck a tree along the southbound exit ramp to Imola Avenue.
The children died at the scene.
Following the crash, Barajas was hospitalized. Upon her release she was booked into the Napa County Department of Corrections.
Napa County records show Barajas has a history of traffic violations, which influenced the charges brought against her.