On November 28, 2008 Lucia Cardoza, 25 of Fillmore, was driving east on Highway 126, west of 10th Street at 2:36 a.m. when she swerved from the left lane to the right shoulder. Her car hit the metal guardrail and spun back into traffic lanes, where it was struck by an eastbound van. In the car were Cardoza’s two sons, ages 4-years and 1-year. Ricardo Nuno Jr., 4, was thrown from the car and pronounced dead at the scene. Cardoza was intoxicated.

She was sentenced on September 30th in Superior Court by Judge Edward Brodie to a year in jail and five years probation. Cardoza is nine months pregnant. She will begin her sentence in December.
The driver of the van, Maria Rangel, 46 of Ventura, and her three adult passengers suffered minor injuries and were treated at Santa Paula Hospital.