VICTORVILLE – A Victorville man was arrested for driving under the influence, causing the crash that killed a 42-year-old Adelanto mother late Saturday night.
At around 11:19 p.m. deputies from the Victorville Station and emergency medical personnel responded to the area of US Highway 395 and Seneca Road for the report of a 2-vehicle traffic collision. When they arrived they determined that Fernando Pantoja Jr., 26, of Victorville, was driving a Honda east on Seneca Road, and a blue Nissan passenger vehicle driven by Frenetta “Netta” Sartor-Miller, 42, of Adelanto, was driving north on Highway 395. The driver of the Honda attempted to turn onto Highway 395 but failed to stop at the posted stop sign and broadsided the Nissan. The force of the collision caused both vehicles mangled vehicles to rest in the dirt field on the east side of US Highway 395.
Victorville Station officials said that Pantoja had to be extricated from the vehicle and was airlifted to a trauma center for treatment major injuries sustained in the collision. Inside his vehicle, an uninjured 3-year-old passenger was located. Sartor-Miller was trapped inside the Nissan, also requiring extrication from the vehicle. Upon removal from the vehicle, she was determined to be dead at the scene.
The driver of the Honda, Fernando Pantoja Jr. has since been arrested for Gross Vehicular Manslaughter while Intoxicated and Cruelty to a Child and has been booked into the West Valley Detention Center. The area of US Highway 395, from Crossroads Way to Mojave was closed in both directions and Seneca Road from Jonathan to US Highway 395 was closed for several hours while the investigation took place.
The family and friends of Frenetta are devastated by the sudden loss. They shared that she was a long time employee of the Victor Elementary School District, working as a school bus driver.
Anyone with information or anyone who may have witnessed the collision is asked to contact Deputy A. Hylin, J. Dean, or A. Ramos at the Victorville Police Department, (760) 241-2911. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME (27463) or you may leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com.
