Money Raised After DUI Crash That Claimed Granite Bay Teens' Lives Will Fund Awareness Efforts
GRANITE BAY (CBS13) — Nearly two weeks after a suspected drunk driver hit and killed three Granite Bay High teens in a wrong-way crash, the community has rallied to raise money that is supposed to go to drunken driving awareness.
Twenty-four-year-old Aaron Jordon Caudillo of Roseville was reportedly driving wrong way when he hit a car with three people inside, killing 20-year-old Roseville resident Mat Azar, 18-year-old Granite Bay resident Kendra Langham and 18-year-old Roseville resident Mathew Beardwitt.
Since the crash, business owners have stepped up to raise money. The owner of two Granite Bay Taco Bells plans to donate all proceeds raised on Wednesday to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Spokesman Aaron Wade says about 70 percent of the donations are used on the community. Most of the money goes to victim services. The other 30 percent goes to administrative fees and other overhead costs for programs.
"What happens is that they have to go through the court process," he said. "A lot of folks don't have any idea what to expect when they go and sit down in court."
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Wades says they support a lot of families who must face the suspect in court. Some of that money also goes toward underage drinking programs in high schools.
"The school invites us in; most of the time they'll get a grant through the state of California or through the county and they would invite us in," he said.
Lastly, he says the donations also go to campaigns to stop drunk driving. He says none of this would be possible without the money raised by people who care to give.
"Unfortunately it takes a crash like that to highlight the negative effects of driving under the influence," he said.
A CHP spokesperson says the best way to avoid wrong-way drivers is to look ahead and move away from the fast lane
Caudillo survived the collision and remains in the hospital.