A woman charged in connection with a crash on San Juan Road last month that killed three people, including two children, appeared in court Tuesday afternoon for the first time.
Precious Dawn Flowers, 28, was charged with three counts of vehicular manslaughter and nine counts of child endangerment for allegedly driving the vehicle that crashed May 31 in Sacramento’s Northgate neighborhood.
The three fatalities included the other adult in the car, Rayshawna Armstrong, 25, and two children: Zayden Mangram, 3, and Alexander Leon, 5. Flowers and Armstrong occupied the vehicle with nine children that ranged in ages from 3 to 8.
Flowers and seven other children suffered serious injuries after the sedan they were in lost control on the road and struck a tree near the 900 block of San Juan Road. She was wheeled into the courtroom Tuesday afternoon in a cast and neck brace with tubes protruding from her jumpsuit.
Tammy Coleman, 53, waited outside of Sacramento County Main Jail’s Department 62 for Flowers’ arraignment.
Coleman, Armstrong’s aunt, said that Armstrong and Flowers were sisters-in-law, and Flowers has four kids with Armstrong’s brother. On May 31, the sedan that would later crash was full of children coming back from a day out swimming.
While she did not specify how other victims or vehicle occupants were related, Coleman said that she currently has a nephew in the hospital fighting for his life. She also said alcohol was involved in the crash, although none of the charges read Tuesday included driving under the influence.
The Sacramento Police Department, which arrested Flowers on Sunday after she was discharged from the hospital, has declined to speak about the case, which they said remains under investigation.
Flowers did not enter a plea before court commissioner Alin Cintean, who continued the proceedings to June 22.
Flowers will remain in custody, as she is ineligible for bail.