"A woman with two previous convictions for driving under the influence was arrested on suspicion of murder after a fatal Riverside County crash this week. Erica Pearl Machuca, 33, of Hemet, also was accused of causing injury while driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Her blood-alcohol level was 0.08 or higher, police say. She was being held at a Banning jail in lieu of $1 million bail and had not been charged as of Wednesday."
"In a 2012 agreement with prosecutors, Machuca pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of driving with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 or higher. A court document lists her BAC at 0.12. She was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to pay $1,664 in penalties as well as complete a first-time DUI offender's program, said Molly Smith, a district attorney's spokeswoman."
"And in 2022, Machuca pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of both alcohol and drugs, a court document shows. The plea deal included three years of probation, $1,703 in fines and another DUI offender's program. She completed both counseling programs, court records show. Her probation ended in July 2025. Machuca could be charged with second-degree murder."
A woman with two prior DUI convictions, Erica Pearl Machuca, was arrested on suspicion of murder after a fatal two-car crash in Wildomar on Nov. 24. The crash killed Debra Amicay, 56, a passenger, and left the other driver hospitalized in critical condition. Authorities say Machuca was accused of causing injury while driving under the influence and had a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 or higher. She was held in lieu of $1 million bail. Machuca pleaded guilty to DUI misdemeanors in 2012 and 2022, completed related programs, and her probation ended in July 2025. She could be charged with second-degree murder.
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