A roadside memorial has emerged at the Oakley site where a teenage girl was killed and another was severely injured Tuesday after they were struck by a station wagon driven by what authorities say was a woman under the influence.
Families and friends of 15-year-old Roshel Madlangbayan left flowers and notes Wednesday, trying to cope with the sudden, inexplicable loss. Roshel's 17-year-old friend remained in critical but stable condition at Children's Hospital Oakland.
Surrounded by a family filled with shock and grief, King Madlangbayan remembered his cousin Roshel.
"She’s my best friend," King said. "She’s a very big part of my life, a special place in my heart, and she will never be forgotten."
The driver of the vehicle, 50-year-old Kristina Salvitti, remained at the crash scene Tuesday and was cooperative with authorities. Police say Salvitti displayed signs of being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. She was arrested and booked into the Martinez jail on charges of vehicular manslaughter and felony driving under the influence.
Investigators believe the two teens were walking east along East Cypress Road on the shoulder of the roadway when Salvitti, traveling in the same direction, veered off the roadway striking the girls, police said. The vehicle continued for several hundred feet before finally coming to a stop.
"The kids were just going to the park to hang out," said Roshel's aunt Rowena. It was the first time the two were allowed to be away from their families unsupervised, she said.
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Witnesses told police they noticed Salvitti driving erratically moments before she hit the girls.
