Headlights examined in fatal Raleigh head-on collision

Raleigh, N.C. — Police investigating a fatal head-on collision on Interstate 40 in Raleigh last weekend are trying to figure out whether lights on a car that hit a minivan were on at the time.

Carolina Elizabeth Gonzales Linares, 28, of Morrisville, and Job Misrael Hernandez, 17, were killed in the wreck, which happened shortly before 2:30 a.m. Sunday near Jones Sausage Road.

Investigators said Linares drove her 2009 Toyota Corolla in the wrong direction of westbound I-40 and hit a Ford Windstar minivan driven by Hernandez's brother, Natanael Hernandez, 21.

He was listed in serious condition at WakeMed on Friday morning.

According to an affidavit in a search warrant released Thursday, the impact caused extensive damage, which made it difficult for detectives to tell whether Linares' headlights were on at the time.

They removed the brake bulbs from her Corolla, as well as the front left headlight bulb and the car's event data recorder.

The warrant affidavit indicates that investigators believe the headlights on Hernandez's minivan were on.

It's still unclear why Linares was driving in the wrong direction. Police have requested blood tests to see whether alcohol might have been a factor.

Family members said Friday that Natanael Hernandez's condition has improved and that he is breathing on his own.

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Btw, Not saying that excuses this driver...especially if alcohol is involved. Just an observation based on my own driving and getting confused as to which ramps you need to find.

busyb97
July 24, 2012 10:57 a.m.

Some cosistency in where they place on ramps may help also. So many different scenarios that sometimes you do get confused as to which area you need to go to! Signs are often poorly positioned or confusing. And at night, not much better.

busyb97
July 24, 2012 10:50 a.m.

For anyone who says that driver’s education is NOT the answer in this case, logically, you must concede that this driver knew exactly what she was doing. (Or, is there proof she was drunk?)

You must concede that she purposefully chose to go the wrong direction and continued to do so for miles…ignoring all the posted signs and inherent road signs (like the reflectors imbedded in the asphalt that show white (correct direction) and red (wrong direction)). (You DID know about the reflectors’ colors, right?)

That is highly unlikely. If she wasn’t drunk, she was confused about how ramps and roads connect and work together. Education would fix this and much, much more.