CHP: 3 dead after crash caused by drunk driver on Highway 99

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- UPDATE - The Tulare County District Attorney filed charges against Brenda Garcia-Madrigal on Wednesday. She will be arraigned this afternoon.

____________________________________________

A deadly crash that occurred on Southbound Highway 99 near the Court Avenue offramp has left three women dead, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The crash happened around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday night.

CHP says 23-year old Brenda Garcia was drunk when she drove onto the highway in Pixley going the wrong way Sunday night.

Pieces of the victims' Nissan were left spread across the highway just off the shoulder.

"A young lady from Corcoran had been drinking and driving, drives the wrong way on the freeway and her vehicle goes head on with another vehicle," said CHP Officer, Steve Beal.

Officers say Garcia was too impaired to even explain how she got on the freeway headed in the wrong direction.

She's recovering in a hospital with police ready to arrest her when she's released.

The crash killed 77-year old Maria Rivas, her 75-year old sister Eva Lopez, and 45-year old Veronica Luna, who is also related.

They're all from Northridge.

Investigators think they were just headed home Sunday night when the deadly crash happened.