Crime & Safety

Redwood City Woman Driving With 4 Unrestrained Minors Faces Child Endangerment Charges

The mother and her underage passengers, including a 1-year-old, were hospitalized for minor injuries after the car accident.

By Bay City News Service

A woman who crashed her car near Redwood City while driving four underage passengers Friday morning is facing child endangerment charges, according to a California Highway Patrol officer.

Mirna Lopez, 25, of Redwood City, was heading east on First Avenue around 8 a.m. when she lost control of her 1998 Chevrolet S-10 near Williams Avenue in North Fair Oaks, according to CHP Officer Art Montiel.

She drifted toward the right where she hit a parked silver Dodge truck. The Chevrolet overturned and emergency personnel had to help Lopez, a 17-year-old Redwood City boy seated in the front and three children - two boys and a baby girl - out of the vehicle.

Lopez and the teenager suffered cuts to their arms and were transported to Stanford Hospital, Montiel said. The three children, ages 1, 5 and 6, were also taken to the hospital for evaluation but did not appear injured.

According to the CHP, only Lopez was wearing a seat belt.

The CHP is mulling whether to file charges against Lopez for allowing minors to ride unrestrained in a vehicle, along with driving while unlicensed and for child endangerment.

It does not appear drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call (650) 369-6261.

Copyright © 2013 by Bay City News, Inc. — Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.


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