Local News in Brief : Murder Charges Filed in Camarillo Crash

A Simi Valley man with two previous convictions for drunk driving has been charged with murder in connection with a head-on crash last month that killed a Ventura man and his 3-year-old daughter.

Two counts each of murder, vehicular manslaughter and drunk driving were filed Tuesday against Sammy Menchaca, 27, who was driving a camper that collided head-on with a car Aug. 23 in Camarillo, killing Patrick Mestayer, 28, and his daughter, Kristin.

Mestayer’s wife, Sally, and a 16-month-old daughter were critically injured in the crash but have recovered.

Tests taken after the accident showed that Menchaca had a blood-alcohol level of .19, almost twice the level at which a person is considered legally drunk, according to Ventura County Deputy Dist. Atty. John Pavanti.

Menchaca has been convicted twice on misdemeanor drunk-driving charges and has received at least two citations for speeding, Pavanti said.

Menchaca is being held in the Ventura County Jail pending an Oct. 14 arraignment on the charges. If convicted of murder, Menchaca could be sentenced to a maximum of 15 years to life in prison, Pavanti said.