Southern California grandmother killed by suspected DUI driver

Loved ones are devastated after a suspected DUI crash left a grandmother dead and her granddaughter critically injured in Southern California.

On Wednesday, the victim, Barbara Taylor, 83, of Rancho Cucamonga, was driving with her adult granddaughter who was sitting in the passenger seat.

At around 4 p.m., they approached the stop sign at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and 15th Street in Upland. When it appeared safe, they drove forward. But before she could reach the other side, a speeding driver crashed into them.

“I saw this gray car coming down, it was a blur,” said Robert Velto, a witness. “The car was going excessively fast.”

Velto stepped out of his car to try and help the victims but the severe impact jammed their car doors.

Emergency crews arrived at the scene and extricated the victims using a hydraulic rescue tool. They were rushed to a trauma center where the 83-year-old grandmother died and her granddaughter remained in critical condition Thursday night.

The suspect, Jose Ramirez, 25, was eventually arrested. Upland Police said the man “displayed signs of intoxication at the scene and was determined to be twice the legal limit.”

He, along with a passenger in his car, had minor injuries from the crash.

“We learned that he did not have a driver’s license,” said Sgt. Marci Williams with Upland Police. “He should not have been driving.”

Authorities also discovered Ramirez was previously arrested for driving under the influence in July 2024 by Ontario Police.

“Tragic event last night where someone needlessly lost their lives due to idiotic decision making, like thinking “I can drive with twice the legal limit of alcohol in my blood,” Upland Police Chief Marcelo Blanco posted on X. “Please ‘Don’t Drink and Drive,’ it can have life altering consequences.”

Ramirez was booked at the West Valley Detention Center for murder and driving under the influence, causing great bodily injury.

The case is being reviewed by the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office to determine whether additional charges will be filed.

Residents told KTLA that Euclid Avenue has had issues for years, with drivers constantly speeding down the major thoroughfare.

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