Charges filed in Highway 166 crash that killed two children on Labor Day

The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office filed eight felony charges Thursday against the driver of a vehicle involved in a Labor Day crash that killed two children.

Jerald Brandon Holman, 36, of Bakersfield, faces counts of second degree murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence causing injury, driving with a blood alcohol level above 0.08 percent causing injury and child endangerment. He’s additionally charged with a misdemeanor count of being an unlicensed driver. Holman has three prior felony convictions, according to a news release.

The charges carry several criminal enhancements for causing great bodily injury to each of the six people injured in the crash.

Holman remains in custody in San Luis Obispo County Jail in lieu of $110,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in San Luis Obispo Superior Court on Friday for arraignment.

About 4:55 p.m. Monday, Holman was allegedly driving a 2008 Toyota Camry west on Highway 166 — about 34 miles east of Highway 101 — when he veered into oncoming traffic after taking a curve at high speed, according to the CHP.

The car veered into the path of a 2013 Chevrolet. The driver of the Chevrolet hit the brakes and swerved to the left to avoid a collision, but it ended up hitting the left rear of the Toyota, sending the Toyota airborne. It rolled several times when it hit the ground, and the rear passenger compartment separated from the front passenger and engine compartment of the car, according to the CHP.

Two children in the back of the Toyota, a 7-year-old boy and 4-year-old girl, were thrown from the Toyota and declared dead at the scene, the CHP said.

Holman was transported to Marian Regional Medical Center with minor injuries, while the driver and three passengers in the Chevrolet were transported by helicopter to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with moderate or minor injuries. An adult passenger in Holman’s car also suffered minor injuries.

Holman was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence upon his discharge from the hospital. If convicted, Holman faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison, according to the DA’s Office.

This story was originally published September 8, 2016 at 5:45 PM with the headline "Charges filed in Highway 166 crash that killed two children on Labor Day."