REDDING: Woman arrested for DUI, other charges, after collision injures 6

REDDING — Officials arrested a woman they alleged was driving while intoxicated and caused a two-vehicle, rollover collision, Saturday evening, Dec. 2. Four children and both drivers were injured and hospitalized after the crash, which happened at the intersection of Shasta Street and Court Street in Redding.

Four of those injured, including three children under the age of eight, were on their way home after watching the Redding Lighted Christmas Parade, according to officials.

After an investigation, officers arrested Taryn Elizabeth Curran, 30, of Redding on suspicion of felony DUI resulting in injury, felony driving with a blood alcohol content over a .08% resulting in injury, five counts of felony child endangerment and providing false information to a peace officer, Redding Police Officer Jacob Provencio explained in a written press release after the accident and arrest.

City of Redding Police and Fire personnel and other emergency first responders were dispatched to the intersection shortly before 8 p.m., after other motorists and witnesses called 911 to report the accident.

When they arrived, officials found a Buick Enclave on its side and a Toyota RAV4 with major, front-end damage at the intersection. Vehicle parts and debris were strewn across the intersection and blocking lanes of traffic on the roadway.

Paramedics immediately began evaluating and treating the two drivers and three children who were at the scene; however, according to witnesses a toddler that had been unrestrained in Curran’s Toyota and possibly injured was taken from the scene in a private vehicle.

While medics treated the victims, officers began investigating the cause of the collision and interviewed numerous witnesses at the scene. 

According to witnesses the Toyota that caused the accident, which was being driven by Curran, was travelling northbound on Court Street at a high rate of speed. At the same time, Star Elizabeth Webb, 33, of Redding, was driving home from the Christmas parade with three children and was heading westbound on Shasta Street in the Buick.

“Curran failed to stop at the red light for Tehama Street and again failed to stop for the red light at the intersection with Shasta Street,” said Provencio. “When the Toyota ran the red light, it nearly struck a child in the cross walk.”

After nearly striking the juvenile pedestrian, Curran plowed into Webb’s Buick as it was making a left turn from Shasta Street onto southbound Court Street. The impact caused the Buick to overturn and roll onto its side.

All of the occupants from the Buick were properly restrained, according to Provencio.

Paramedics determined Webb and her two children, ages five and eight, another eight-year-old child, all required additional medical attention and transported all four by ground ambulance to Mercy Medical Center for further evaluation and treatment.

Webb’s injuries were described as bruises and complaints of pain. The five-year-old suffered bruises and at the time of the press release was undergoing observation for possible internal injuries.

The two eight-year-old’s both suffered bruises and abrasions and had complaints of pain.

While paramedics were evaluating Curran, she reportedly admitted to them that she had been drinking and officers later determined she was under the influence of alcohol when she caused the injury collision.

Officers investigating the crash found a child’s car seat inside Curran’s Toyota; however, closer inspection revealed the car seat was not affixed to the seat properly or secured with a seat belt in any way.

Despite multiple witnesses claiming to have seen the small child removed from Curran’s vehicle and Curran’s admission that she has a two-year-old daughter, the woman repeatedly denied having a child in her car at the time of the collision.

After failing to locate the child at area hospitals, officers checked multiple addresses associated with Curran in an attempt to locate and check on the welfare of the child witnesses had seen removed from the scene of the accident.

Officers eventually located and interviewed the father of Curran’s daughter, identified as Cody Lee Borders, 29, of Redding. Borders responded to the scene of the accident at officer’s request.

Borders “denied any knowledge regarding his daughter being in the car,” Provencio explained and he also denied having any knowledge about the two-year-old’s whereabouts.

As their investigation continued, officers learned Borders eventually transported his daughter to Mercy Medical Center to be treated for injuries she received in the accident.

Officers confirmed the 2-year-old victim suffered a contusion to her head and bruising to her abdomen in the accident. At the time of their press release officers said the girl was still being evaluated for internal injuries.

Her injuries were not considered life-threatening, according to Provencio.

Curran, who was not wearing a seat belt and suffered “multiple serious injures,” was transported to Mercy Medical Center for treatment and her injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Officers continued their investigation at the hospital and determined Curran was under the influence of alcohol.

Based on their investigation officers arrested Curran; however, because she needed ongoing medical treatment, officers released her from custody at the hospital.

Curran’s case and charges will be forwarded to the Shasta County District Attorney’s office. Additionally, charges will be sought against Borders for delaying a peace officer, providing false information to a peace officer and child endangerment.

Anyone  with information about this investigation or who witnessed the accident or Curran and Border’s daughter being removed from the scene of the accident is encouraged to contact Redding Police Officer Provencio at (530) 225-4200. Callers can refer to incident file number 17-89162 and can remain anonymous.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.