Both drivers in the triple-fatal crash that occurred April 13 near Coyote were drunk, according to newly released toxicology test results.
Richard Vialpando, 23, of Cañones, was originally suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol by the Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Department. He had a blood alcohol concentration of .21, or almost three times the legal limit of .08, at the time of the crash, according to a toxicology report completed by the state Office of the Medical Investigator and released earlier this week. His results also showed the presence of marijuana in his system, according to the report. The other driver, Alfred Jaramillo, who turned 21 on the day of the crash, had a blood alcohol concentration of .17, and his brother James, 23, who was a passenger, had a .16 blood alcohol concentration, toxicology reports state.
The crash killed Vialpando and both Jaramillos, of Youngsville, and spared the lives of Vialpando’s two passengers: Baltizar and Larry Martinez. The day after the crash, Sheriff’s deputy Martin Trujillo said it appeared both drivers crossed the center line of State Road 96 causing the crash. Deputy James Lujan also stated it appeared that beer cans and a liquor bottle littering the crash scene came from Vialpando’s car, and that Vialpando may have been drinking and driving.
A crash report issued by the Department two weeks ago did not conclusively state who had been drinking that night, but did state the crash occurred in Vialpando’s lane, meaning only Alfred Jaramillo’s vehicle crossed the center line. Trujillo said the report placed Alfred Jaramillo at fault, but that final conclusions couldn’t be drawn until toxicology test results were ready. Trujillo didn’t return multiple calls for comment on the recently released toxicology report.
Lujan said since only a crash diagram was done, rather than a full reconstruction of the crash, it remains hard to tell exactly what happened and who was at fault. With both drivers deceased and no possibility of prosecution, the expense of a crash reconstruction couldn’t be justified, Lujan said.
“The majority of the crash happened in the eastbound lane (Vialpando’s lane),” Lujan said. “I’d say it happened in both lanes, but I’m not going to second guess the investigator.”
Neither the Jaramillos’ mother nor Vialpando’s mother would comment for this story.
The Office’s autopsy reports describe James Jaramillo as suffering skull fractures and multiple abrasions and Alfred Jaramillo as having broken bones on both his legs and on one of his arms, as well as lacerations on his face and head. The autopsy report states Vialpando’s neck was broken in more than one place and his aorta, the main blood vessel of the body that brings oxygenated blood from the heart, was cut in two.