A 26-year-old Fontana woman was sentenced today to 30 years to life for killing six people in a wrong-way car crash on the 60 Freeway four years ago, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.
Olivia Carolee Culbreath (dob 11/3/92) pleaded no contest in May to six counts of second-degree murder in an open plea to the court. The open plea means a sentence was not negotiated with the District Attorney’s Office.
Deputy District Attorneys Elizabeth Padilla and Casey Higgins of the DUI Training and Prosecution Section co-prosecuted the case.
On Feb. 9, 2014, Culbreath drove her car against traffic on the 57 and 60 freeways in the city of Diamond Bar, prosecutors said.
The defendant was driving northbound on the southbound lanes of the 57 freeway and then traveled eastbound in the westbound lanes of the 60 freeway when she collided head-on with another vehicle, prosecutors said.
All four occupants were killed. Two passengers in Culbreath’s car, including her sister, also died in the collision, prosecutors added.
According to evidence presented at the preliminary hearing, Culbreath had previously been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol resulting in a collision. She was warned by the court about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and also was admonished that such future conduct could result in murder charges.
In addition, evidence was presented that Culbreath had a .15 percent blood alcohol content approximately three hours after the fatal crash.
Case KA104665 was investigated by the California Highway Patrol.
