VICTORVILLE, Ca. – A 58-year-old male driver who was incarcerated for vehicular manslaughter was released from jail today after evidence proved he was not at fault for a fatal collision on Saturday morning.
At around 2:18 a.m. two vehicles, a 2001 black Ford SUV which was traveling westbound on Palmdale Road and a 2006 white Hyundai sedan, which was traveling northbound on Cobalt Road collided leaving two deceased. Emergency medical personnel arrived at the scene to find the two vehicles the Ford with Reggie Eugene Sanders, a transient, with minor injuries and two people in the Hyundai Tiburon, the passenger, Sarah Jane Jarrell-Worden, 23, of Victorville, who was deceased and Jacob Michael Phillips-Short, 29, of Victorville suffering from major injuries. Phillips-Short was rushed to the hospital where he died as a result of his injuries.
Palmdale Road west of Amethyst Road and east of Diamond Road was closed in both directions for the investigation. Preliminary investigation revealed that Sanders was possibly under the influence of alcohol and was driving impaired. In addition, information indicated that Sanders failed to stop at the red light, making him at fault in the collision. He was booked into jail for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated once he was released from the hospital.
Information was provided on Tuesday, October 6, 2020, leading to the determination that Sanders did not run the red light. Jacob Phillips-Short, the driver of the Hyundai was determined to be at fault for the collision when he did not stop at the red light. Sanders will be released from custody as a result of the finding. “The full report, along with toxicology results for all involved parties, will be sent to the District Attorney’s office upon completion,” Sheriff’s officials said in the news release. “Any charges against Mr. Sanders will be determined by the DA’s office, at that time.”
