Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Collision Sends Gavilan Students to Hospital

Billy Heard's toxicology report came back negative, sources say.

UPDATED at 9:45 a.m., Tuesday.— Billy Heard's toxicology report came back negative for alcohol, Gavilan College Spokeswoman Jan Bernstein Chargin said.

Athletic Director Ron Hannon informed Bernstein Chargin of the negative report results Monday night. Hannon has been at the hospital with Heard's family since Sunday's accident, she said. 

The results of the toxicology report won't be confirmed until the investigation is over, according to Tony Tam, public information officer for the San Francisco-area CHP. If negative toxicology results are confirmed, Heard's case could be forwarded to the district attorney's office if other possible violations, like speeding, are determined, Tam said. 

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A collision involving two vehicles sent at least three Gavilan College students to the hospital on Sunday morning, according to Scott Cakebread, officer with the California Highway Patrol.

Three of the five students, Andrel Gaines, Billy Heard and Devontea Johnson, sustained major injuries and were taken to Bay Area hospitals after their Cadillac collided with a Nissan near Millbrae on southbound Hwy. 101 at 1:28 a.m., said Tony Tam, public information officer with the San Francisco area CHP. 

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Gaines is apparently in critical condition, and is using a ventilator to breathe, according to an article by the Gilroy Dispatch.

Denise Bravo, 18, and Razelyn Ambrocio, 21, were also in the vehicle.

The students were apparently driving the Cadillac and swerved into oncoming traffic after the driver, Heard, hit the center divider in attempts of dodging an object in the roadway, Tam said.

After the Cadillac came to a stop, Heard exited the vehicle, and that's when the oncoming Nissan slammed into the Cadillac, Tam said. The students who remained in the vehicle were injured, as well as Heard who was hit while standing outside of the Cadillac, although it hasn't been confirmed if he was hit by the Nissan, or the Cadillac after it was crashed into.

The driver of the Nissan was Denis Leffew, 43, of San Jose. Leffew also sustained major injuries and was taken to Stanford Medical.

Both Heard and Leffew were arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but were released to the hospital because of their injuries, Tam said.

Responding officers didn't conduct any alcohol or drug tests on scene, but reportedly had reasons to believe Heard and Leffew were under the influence.

Heard received a blood test at the hospital, as did Leffew, and his case will be forwarded to the district attorney's office should the results indicate substance use, or if other violations are determined after the investigation, Tam said.

The two crashes—the first one when Heard hit the center divider and the second one when Leffew crashed into the Cadillac—will be investigated separately. More information will be available once the collision report is obtained within the next couple of days, Tam said.


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