T.O. boy hurt in suspected DUI crash dies

An 11-year-old Thousand Oaks boy critically injured in a crash caused by a woman suspected of driving under the influence of prescription medication has died, the California Highway Patrol reported Wednesday.
Thomas Botello was riding in the back seat of a sport utility vehicle driven by his aunt, Page Germain, when the crash occurred about 1 p.m. July 4 at the intersection of Las Posas and Laguna roads near Camarillo.
Heading west on Laguna, Germain stopped at a stop sign at Las Posas Road and then continued into the intersection, where cross traffic does not have a stop sign. She failed to yield the right of way to a pickup truck driven by Edgar Espinoza, 23, of Camarillo, and Espinoza was unable to stop in time to avoid hitting the SUV, CHP officials said.
Espinoza’s truck struck the right side of Germain’s SUV.
Thomas, who was sitting in the SUV’s right rear seat with his seat belt fastened, was airlifted to St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard. He was later taken to Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, where he died Monday.
“This is a tragedy for our family,” said Thomas’ uncle, Gary Germain, reading a statement to the media from Thomas’ family. “We appreciate the outpouring of support we’ve received from friends and strangers, those who rendered assistance at the accident site and all medical personnel involved in Thomas’ care.”
A 12-year-old Camarillo boy in Espinoza’s truck suffered minor injuries. Espinoza and his other passenger, an 18-year-old Camarillo man, were uninjured.
Page Germain, 45, of Huntington Beach was arrested following the collision on suspicion of driving under the influence of prescription medication, then released to the hospital for treatment. She had moderate injuries, including a cut to her face and contusions to her head, said Officer Mike Untalan, a spokesman for the Ventura CHP.
She was later released on her own recognizance.
The crash remained under investigation Wednesday, and the CHP had not yet submitted the case to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. CHP officials expect to file a criminal complaint against Thomas’ aunt, but the exact charges she could face have not been determined, Untalan said.
“We ask that others not jump to conclusions based on preliminary and incorrect information,” Thomas’ relatives said in the statement, without elaborating. “Take the time to appreciate your family and friends every day as life in our modern world can change in the blink of an eye.”
A memorial service for Thomas is tentatively scheduled for July 18 at the Griffin Family Funeral Chapel, 101 E. Wilbur Road in Thousand Oaks.

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