The Santa Maria Valley woman accused of driving the wrong way for 14 miles on Highway 101 while drunk, causing a crash that killed a woman and injured her husband, changed her plea Monday. 

Kendra Cordova, 36, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder before Judge Stephen Dunkle in Santa Maria Superior Court during a morning proceeding.

Cordova was arrested after causing a head-on crash on southbound Highway 101 south of Betteravia Road at approximately 5:25 a.m. on Sept. 8, 2024.

While going the wrong direction on the highway, her Mazda CX-9 slammed into an oncoming Chevrolet Silverado truck, the California Highway Patrol said.

Alma Teresa Alcorta Del Lazaro, 53, of Santa Maria, was fatally injured in the crash. Her husband, the truck’s driver, Cecilio L. Camacho, 63, of Santa Maria, also was injured. 

The impact of the crash left the wrecked truck on the concrete center divider. Pictures displayed during the preliminary hearing for Cordova’s criminal case showed the vehicle and crash debris, including a white cowboy hat sitting on the asphalt.

Cordova reportedly had a blood-alcohol content of 0.26% per a test taken four hours after the crash, according to legal documents. 

While driving the wrong way on Highway 101 to Los Alamos, she reported traveled as fast as 74 mph and passed a CHP officer trying to intervene.

In the days after the crash, investigators determined Cordova had worked a shift as a bartender late Sept. 7 and early Sept. 8 at the 1880 Union Hotel in Los Alamos, according to a CHP officer’s declaration in support of the arrest warrant.

After the preliminary hearing, Cordova was held to answer to one murder count as well as felony driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, and driving with blood-alcohol level above a 0.08% causing injury. 

She also faced a number of special allegations or sentencing enhancements.

In exchange for pleading guilty to second-degree murder ahead of trial, the District Attorney’s Office will dismiss the remaining charges and allegations.

After the crash, Cordova told a CHP officer she had sampled multiple signature cocktails while at work in Los Alamos hours earlier.

She also mentioned she had taken the Responsible Beverage Service training provide by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. 

Investigators later confirmed she completed the entirely online training program aimed at avoiding over-serving alcohol to customers. 

The training includes how to identify signs, effects and dangers of intoxication. 

Cordova originally was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and drunken driving after the Sept. 8 crash. 

Ten days later, authorities filed the criminal complaint charging her with murder after determining she had completed the state course on the dangers of drinking and driving.

Cordova will return to court Aug. 4 when she is expected to be receive a sentence of 15 years to life in state prison, according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Madison Whitmore.

After initially being represented by attorney Billy Redell, the defendant’s case recently has been handled by attorney Adrienne Harbottle.

Cordova has been held without bail in the Santa Barbara County Jail since her September 2024 arrest.