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Blake Benham, a 43-year-old Dinuba school principal, was arrested on Sunday, December 3, following a deadly two-vehicle crash that killed two people. According to the California Highway Patrol, the crash occurred on Sunday night around 6:15 pm on Road 56 just north of Avenue 430 near Reedley.
Benhan, who was suspected to be driving under the influence, is accused of drifting into oncoming traffic in his 2021 Ford F-150 before colliding with a blue Nissan SUV with four passengers.
Two passengers in the Nissan, identified as 55-year-old Gloria Jamie Barajas and her daughter, 35-year-old Brenda Quinonez, reportedly died at the scene. The other two passengers were rushed to the hospital with critical injuries.
Blake Benham, who suffered minor injuries, was evaluated and determined to have been driving under the influence of alcohol. Benham was arrested and charged on suspicion of felony DUI and vehicular manslaughter.
Blake Benham is the Principal of Kennedy Elementary School in Dinuba
Blake Benham, the principal of Kennedy Elementary School in Dinuba, was arrested on Sunday following a DUI-related crash that killed two people. On Sunday night, Benham was driving his white 2021 Ford F-150 truck in the southbound lane near Reedley when he drifted into oncoming traffic on the northbound lane and collided with a blue Nissan SUV with four people inside.
The crash killed two people at the scene and critically injured two others. Authorities, who evaluated Benham at the scene and determined that he was driving under the influence of alcohol, booked him at the Tulare County Pre-Trial Facility and charged him on suspicion of felony DUI and vehicular manslaughter.
Benham, who complained of experiencing some pain at the scene, bonded out of jail Monday night. Shortly after, a social media user slammed the principal in a Facebook post.
"The "honorable" Principal Blake Benham of Kennedy Elementary in Dinuba Ca, was under the influence & drove to oncoming traffic taking 2 innocent lives & 2 other innocent lives were rushed to hospital with serious injuries. He was charged with DUI & manslaughter. His bail was $60k & bailed out with 6k. This isn't fair please be careful this can happen to anyone. We need justice!”
In response to the principal’s arrest, Dinuba Unified School District issued a statement in support of the victims of the crash. Assistant Superintendent Marti Kochevar, M.Ed. wrote:
“The District administration sends its condolences to those suffering as a result of this tragic incident.”
In a similar incident, a 36-year-old motorcyclist was killed following a crash with an SUV in Dinuba in July 2023. According to Your Central Valley, the unidentified motorcyclist was riding with a nine-year-old girl when he crashed into an SUV.
While the driver was killed at the scene, the nine-year-old girl, who sustained severe injuries, was rushed to a hospital.
