Lancaster

Suspected Drunken Driver Plows into Home, Kills Sleeping Woman: Officials

When officials arrived on scene they found a 71-year-old woman in her bed, underneath the truck.

A sleeping woman was killed Sunday night when a suspected drunk driver plowed a truck into the side of her house in Lancaster.

The suspect allegedly crashed into several vehicles parked on both sides of the street on the 1000 block of West Avenue J-12 before driving his 2001 Toyota Tacoma into a home at 10:55 p.m., deputies from the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station said.

When officials arrived on scene they found a 71-year-old woman in her bed, underneath the truck. She was pronounced dead at the scene, deputies said.

Neighbors said a loud boom woke the neighborhood.

"She was really sweet. She always liked her gardening," said neighbor Dani Yamamoto. "It's really scary because it's just, like, it could have been anyone."

Aaron Daniel Benson, 25, was arrested in connection with the fatal collision and booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and felony driving under the influence of alcohol. He is being held in lieu of $1,000,000 bail.

Benson was previously convicted of driving under the influence in 2011 and served several years probation.

Investigators are asking anyone who may witnessed the crash to call 661-948-8466.

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