Woman faces manslaughter, DUI-related charges after fatal wrong-way Highway 41 crash

A woman faces a charge of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and four other criminal counts after a collision that killed a Clovis man, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday.

Amber Sexton, 33, of Hayfork, was arrested Tuesday after the California Highway Patrol said she was driving the wrong way down Highway 41, helping trigger a four-vehicle crash.

Joel Carillo, 23, was killed in the crash, south of Harlan Avenue near Laton about 8:45 p.m. Carillo was initially identified as being from Caruthers.

Sexton was taken into custody after the crash on suspicion of driving under the influence. She suffered what investigators said were “moderate” injuries.

Prosecutors on Friday accused Sexton of the manslaughter charge as well as driving under the influence of a drug and causing great bodily injury, driving while addicted to a drug, possession of narcotics paraphernalia, and driving without a valid license.

According to the CHP account of the crash, Sexton was driving a Chevrolet pickup when it crossed into the northbound lane and collided head-on with a Honda Civic driven by Carillo. The Civic spun out of control and was struck by a Buick La Crosse.

The driver of a Ford Mustang swerved to avoid the truck and crashed into a metal fence. The driver and passenger in the Mustang were not injured. The driver and a passenger in the Buick complained of pain but were not taken to the hospital.