CYPRESS : Woman Dies in Crash; Son Cited by Police

A Cypress woman was killed Sunday when the car she was riding in, driven by her son, plowed into another vehicle, authorities said Monday.

Rafael Ricalde, 25, and his 45-year-old mother, Maria Ricalde, were traveling east on Orange Avenue about 6:30 p.m. Sunday when their car collided with another car, which was making a left turn at Valley View Street, Cypress Police Lt. Jim Weuve said.

Maria Ricalde was taken to Anaheim General Hospital, where she died, police said. Her son was initially arrested on suspicion of felony drunk driving but later was released on a misdemeanor drunk-driving citation.

Police are not pursuing felony charges against the driver because it does not appear that he caused the accident by breaking any traffic laws, police said.

“He had a green light and was probably going within the speed limit,” Weuve said.

Department of Motor Vehicles records show Rafael Ricalde was convicted of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in April, 1990.

The driver of the second vehicle, Helen Vicente, 25, of Anaheim, was treated at La Palma Intercommunity Hospital for minor injuries and released, Weuve said. Both drivers and the passenger were wearing seat belts at the time, police said.