A jury trial has been scheduled for 9 a.m. on Monday, August 4, for Kenneth Jerome Blow, Jr. 26. Blow is accused of murder related to the 2012 fatal crash on Highway 330 that claimed the life of an 18-year-old woman. (File Photo)
By G.T. Houts
UPDATE – Tuesday, June 17 – 10:20 a,m.
San Bernardino, CA – Judge Ronald Christianson has set a jury trial for Monday, August 4, at 9 a.m. for Kenneth Jerome Blow, Jr., 26. Blow is charged with second degree murder after being involved in a DUI fatality on Highway 330 in June 2012.
Judge Christianson also scheduled a pre-trail hearing for Friday, July 11, at 8:30 a,.m, in Department S-20 , A trial readiness hearing was also placed on the court calendar for Friday, August 1, at 8:30 a.m. in Department S-20.\
The Lakewood resident was driving a 2002 Ford Focus southbound on Highway 330 on June 22, 2012, when the vehicle rolled over ejecting an 18-year-old female passenger — Rebecca Leigh Green from Lakewood. She was pronounced deceased at the scene of the accident about 6:50 p.m.
The California Highway Patrol arrested Blow for allegedly driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage.
ORIGINAL STORY
San Bernardino, CA - The 26-year-old second degree murder suspect, involved in a DUI fatality on Highway 330, returns to court for a disposition/reset hearing on Tuesday, June 17. Kenneth Jerome Blow, Jr., will appear in Department S-20-J. at 8:30 a.m.
Rebecca Leigh Green (Contributed Photo)
Blow, a resident of Lakewood, was driving a 2002 Ford Focus southbound on Highway 330 on June 22, 2012, when the vehicle rolled over ejecting an 18-year-old female passenger — Rebecca Leigh Green from Lakewood. She was pronounced deceased at the scene of the accident about 6:50 p.m.
Following the Highway 330 incident, Blow was arrested by the California Highway Patrol for driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage.
Blow has entered a plea of not guilty to all counts and has denied special allegations. Blow remains in custody on $1.2 million bail at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.
THE FATAL INCIDENT
California Highway Patrol investigators indicated Blow was traveling southbound on Highway 330, south of Highway 18, at the time of the crash. Blow was reportedly unable to maintain control of the Ford Focus and allowed the car to drift off the roadway.
A media release from the CHP Arrowhead Office indicates Blow then veered out of control, across the southbound and northbound lanes, where his vehicle impacted and traveled up the mountainside. The impact caused the vehicle to overturn and eject the 18-year-old woman who was pronounced deceased at the scene by Running Springs Fire paramedics. Blow was partially ejected from the vehicle during the incident.
Two additional passengers in the vehicle — Tony Willevy, 22, and Robert Mathews, 24, both from Bellflower — were treated and released at Loma Linda University Medical Center.
EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATION
Through additional investigation, the California Highway Patrol determined that Blow was involved in a prior fatal collision, in 2009, and was convicted at the time of the felony DUI. During Blow’s sentencing in 2009, he was read the “Watson Amendment,” stating he could be tried for second degree murder should he repeat the offense, according to a CHP news release.
PENDING CHARGES
Blow is facing the following felony charges:
* Penal Code 187 (a) – Murder
* Penal Code 191.5 – Gross Vehicular Manslaughter While Intoxicated
* Vehicle Code 23153 (a) – DUI Causing Bodily Injury
* Vehicle Code 23153 (b) – DUI Causing Bodily Injury
* Vehicle Code 10851 (a) – Vehicle Theft
A single misdemeanor charge of driving while Blow’s license was suspended for driving under the influence was also filed (Vehicle Code M14601.2(A).
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