A man is behind bars on suspicion of being under the influence of methamphetamine and marijuana when he caused a Riverside County crash that killed a Monrovia school teacher, authorities said Thursday.
Jeremy Cook, 33, of Moreno Valley was booked Wednesday on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in connection with the May 8 crash just outside of Hemet in Riverside County that killed 44-year-old Maggie Clark, Riverside County District Attorney’s spokesman John Hall said.
Clark was a kindergarten teacher at Mayflower Elementary School in Monrovia.
Cook turned himself in to investigators in Murrieta after a warrant was issued for his arrest Aug. 4, Hall said.
Cook as arrested immediately following the crash, but released after prosecutors declined to file charges.
Clark and another teacher were driving to an education conference when Cook’s truck allegedly crossed a center divider, veered into oncoming traffic and struck their car.
Clark was fatally injured, while the other teacher in the car with her suffered a broken leg.
Co-workers said Clark was a dedicated, well-respected and well-liked teacher who started teaching at Mayflower in 1988.
According to court records, Cook was previously convicted twice of misdemeanor driving under the influence in Idaho in 1999 and 2004.
Cook was being held in lieu of $1 million bail and was due for arraignment Friday in the Southwest Justice Center of the Riverside Superior Court.
“Cook was previously convicted twice of misdemeanor driving under the influence in Idaho in 1999 and 2004.” How many times do we need to give people a chance? Unfortunately it’s until something really tragic happens. At least he turned himself in. Am I searching for the ‘silver lining’?
You must be pretty naive to believe everything that the media says. Here you are judging someone by reading something in the media. It is because if people like you that innocent victim are locked up for crimes in which they did not commit. You sir have no facts and base your findings on what you have read in the media. Is it innocent until proven guilty or guilty until proven innocent? I feel for the family of the victim and the victim herself. But why would anyone want another injustice. Dont convict him just yet, Jeremy will have his day in court.