Motorist killed in head-on crash on Highway 76

By: YVETTE URREA - Staff Writer | Saturday, April 28, 2007 10:59 PM PDT ∞

PALA -- A 54-year-old Banning man was killed Saturday in a head-on crash with a water tanker truck, and his wife was arrested on suspicion of felony drunken driving, a California Highway Patrol officer said.

The couple's 10-year-old daughter, who was also in their car, was airlifted to Children's Hospital for evaluation because of the violent impact, CHP Officer Eric Newbury said. The tanker truck driver was not hurt.

The collision happened at 2:05 p.m. on Highway 76, just east of Interstate 15, west of Rice Canyon, Newbury said.

The family was in a Hyundai Sonata going west on Highway 76 but the mother, Linda Brown Bowman, 48, did not negotiate a curve and went straight into the oncoming lane, Newbury said. The water truck driver was unable to avoid the collision, he said.

The Hyundai went underneath the front of the truck and hit the left front, Newbury said.

None of the family members was wearing a seatbelt, he said.

Pala firefighters tried to revive the father, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, but he was pronounced dead on the scene, said North County Fire Protection District spokesman John Buchanan.

The medical examiner's office identified the man as Frank Bowman, who was terminally ill and on hospice care, investigator James Buckley said.

The mother was taken by ambulance to Palomar Medical Center, said Pala fire Assistant Chief David Osuna. Newbury said she is under observation due to the severe crash, and she also under guard due to the pending charges.

Bowman was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence, felony manslaughter and child endangerment, Newbury said.

"Especially with a two-lane highway, there's no room for error. You have to stay focused," he said.

Traffic was blocked in both directions between Pankey Road and the Pala Casino while officers documented the scene. Caltrans workers cleaned up a minor fuel spill quickly, he said.

-- Contact staff writer Yvette Urrea at (760) 901-4076 or yurrea@nctimes.com.

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Pre-Registration Comments[-]Go to Top

Greg in Oceanside wrote on Apr 29, 2007 4:01 AM:Alcohol related, and no one in the Bowman car was wearing seat belts? Geez, hasn't there been enough messages about don't drink and drive, and wear seatbelts to keep people from doing these sort of stupid things? Some people never learn.

Jim in Oceanside wrote on Apr 29, 2007 12:13 PM:We need new signs on 76 leading to and leading from the casinos. The signs should indicate how many crashes, numbers of fatalities, number of alcohol related, etc., since Jan 1. Maybe the "numbers" would make an impact on drivers. Silly signs like "safe driving is no accident" don't seem to be helping.

Stan wrote on Apr 29, 2007 8:04 PM:I've driven this road many times and I believe there's a need to have more police patrols along this stretch of road. Oftentimes, drivers come at you from the opposite direction with their brights on blinding you. Perhaps better lighting along the most dangerous stretches of road would be a prudent investment in saving lives.

Evelyn wrote on Apr 30, 2007 5:36 PM:I work in Pala and everyday i am faced with a stupid driver coming into my lane because they are going to fast. The winded Hwy 76 is not the place to be speeding. Maybe one day we will get the straight, new and improved hwy 76 like we were told we would once get at the beginning of 2006....

THE DAUGHTER wrote on Jun 1, 2007 1:25 PM:I PERSONALLY DON'T FEEL THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO WRITE ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE UNKNOWN TO YOU AND SPEAK ABOUT FACTS THAT ARE NOT ALL THE WAY TRUE WITH OUT UNDERSTANDING THE ACTUAL TRUE FACTS. I AS BEING THE 18 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER FEELS THAT EVERYONE IN LIFE MAKES THERE MISTAKES AND SHALL BE FORGIVEN FOR THEM. WERE ALL NOT PERFECT. MY FAMILY AND I ARE BEHIND MY MOTHER 100% IN BELIEVE THAT SHE'LL SEE A BETTER DAY SOON. NO ONE OF YOU ALL HAS SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THE TROUBLES AND PAINS THE FAMILY HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH WITH THE LOST OF OUR STEP- FATHER. AND THE PAIN WE ALL FACE TODAY. EVERYONE IN SO QUICK TO FORGET THE MAJOR ISSUES OUR NATION FACES TODAY . I WILL SAY THIS I APPRECIATE MY MOTHER AND WILL STAND BY HER 100% AND NO MATTER WHAT IT WASNT DONE ON PURPOSE. WRITTEN BY ANONYMOUS

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