The San Francisco woman who killed two motorists during a head-on collision on Interstate 280 in Los Altos Hills last summer pleaded no contest to manslaughter charges Feb. 23.
Cheryl Lynn Morden, 37, was driving a yellow utility truck southbound on 280 just north of El Monte Road when she drifted across the dirt and foliage median Aug. 4 and collided head-on with a green Geo Prism. The impact instantly killed the Prism’s passenger Nanu Quintnan Guerrero, 25, of Marin County, according to the California Highway Patrol. Oleg Shcherbakov, 73, was driving behind the Prism in a different lane when the collision occurred. His Mazda Protege struck the back of Morden’s truck and spun his car out of control. Police said he hit the center median several hundred feet away from the other two vehicles and died on the scene.
The driver of the Prism suffered critical injuries, including two broken legs.
Morden’s two dogs that were traveling in the cab of her truck were killed in the accident, police said.
Morden suffered head injuries and lost her front teeth.
Investigators first believed Morden had fallen asleep at the wheel.
They did not charge her with a crime until weeks after the accident.
A toxicology test indicated that Morden tested positive for methamphetamines and cocaine, according to police.
Morden is scheduled to be sentenced in late April.
