The driver arrested in connection with a Labor Day crash that killed two children and injured five other people east of Santa Maria was scheduled to be arraigned in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court on Thursday.
Jerald Brandon Holman, 36, of Bakersfield remained in San Luis Obispo County Jail Wednesday night in lieu of $110,000 bail.
Assistant District Attorney Lee Cunningham said he expected the arraignment to occur Thursday morning.
Holman was arrested following a head-on collision Monday on Highway 166 east of Spanish Ranch, more than 30 miles east of Highway 101.
He was westbound on the highway at a rapid speed when his Toyota drifted into the eastbound lane, the California Highway Patrol said.
Holman jerked the steering wheel to the right in an attempt to regain control, but immediately swerved to the left, the CHP said.
The Toyota then crossed into the eastbound lane into the path of a Chevrolet driven by Aaron Pyne, 30, of Yucaipa, who braked hard and attempted to swerve to avoid the Toyota, the CHP said.
However, the Chevrolet clipped the left rear of the Toyota causing it to catapult into the air and roll numerous times.
A 7-year-old boy and his 4-year-old sister were ejected from the vehicle when the rear passenger compartment separated from the front passenger section of the Toyota.
Their names and hometown had not been released as of Wednesday since the California Highway Patrol is awaiting approval from a relative, CHP Officer David Medina said.
Also injured in the crash were Katherine Pyne, 31, plus a 9-year-old boy and 7-year-old girl in the second vehicle.
A woman, Todeshia Lewis, 26, of Bakersfield, who was a passenger in Holman’s vehicle, received minor injuries.
Holman was arrested upon his release from the hospital for treatment of minor injuries, the CHP said.
He was being held on suspicion of two counts of felony driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol causing great bodily injury, two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving on a suspended or revoked license, and being under the influence of alcohol, according to San Luis Obispo County jail records.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.