Boyfriend allegedly grabbed gear shift, forcing auto into
intersection
A 25-year-old Morgan Hill resident was in critical condition Friday at Stanford Medical Center with an open-skull fracture after a major two-car collision Thursday afternoon.
The 2:23pm crash occurred at the intersection of Butterfield Boulevard and San Pedro Avenue.
The injured woman, Cynthia Perez, who moved to Morgan Hill just a week ago, according to Morgan Hill Police Sgt. David Myers, was driving a Toyota Corolla southbound on Butterfield Boulevard approaching the intersection. A Ford Taurus, driven by Trevor Bostdorf, 34, of Hollister was westbound on San Pedro Avenue and entered the intersection on a green light, Myers said.
As Perez approached the intersection, her boyfriend, Paul Dunavant, 25, seated directly behind her in the Corolla, was arguing with her, striking her repeatedly. The traffic light was red for Butterfield at the intersection, but Perez was unable to stop, Myers said, because Dunavant reached forward, grabbing the gear shift, causing the auto to continue through the red light.
“Our investigation so far shows that the driver was unable to stop the vehicle because of his actions,” said Myers. “We have been unable to determine that she was negligent in any way.”
Bostdorf, already in the intersection, crashed into the left side of the Corolla. The momentum of both vehicles caused them to continue moving and finally collide with a cement retaining wall on the southwest corner of San Pedro and Butterfield, said Myers.
The cause of the accident was determined through interviews with two other passengers in the Corolla, Myers said. Perez’s 15-year-old sister and 7-year-old daughter were in the vehicle, but received minor injuries, mainly contusions caused by the impact and seatbelts.
The two girls were wearing seatbelts; Perez and Dunavant were not restrained.
Dunavant also was taken to Stanford with a broken and dislocated hip, Myers said. Perez also received multiple lacerations.
The two girls were taken to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose by ambulance; the older girl remained in the hospital overnight for observation, and Perez’s daughter was treated and released to her grandmother.
Bostdorf, who was alone in the Taurus, escaped injury.
Myers said the investigation into the crash is continuing, but a recommendation has been made to the District Attorney’s office to file charges against Dunavant for felony child endangerment, assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence and interference with the operator of a motor vehicle.
MHPD officers have been unable to interview Perez, Myers said, because at press time she had not regained consciousness.
“The D.A. may want us to hold off until Perez regains consciousness,” he said. “However, we feel confident with the statement we obtained, first from the 15-year-old, later verified by the 7-year-old. It was straightforward and accurate.”
If the incident takes a more tragic turn and Perez does not recover, Myers said, Dunavant could be facing manslaughter charges, “most likely it would be involuntary manslaughter, because of intent.”
Myers said the collision stopped traffic on Butterfield for “a considerable time.”
“A crash of this magnitude places police in a situation where we are treating it as a potentially fatal collision,” he said. “We bring quite a bit more expertise, we have to be even more meticulous as to details.”
Northbound Butterfield at Barrett Avenue was closed so that the LifeFlight helicopter could land on Butterfield, approximately 25 yards from the site of the collision. Southbound Butterfield at San Pedro was also closed to traffic as ambulance and rescue personnel arrived at the scene.
Eight MHPD officers – the entire force on duty at the time were at the accident scene.
Dunavant and Perez live together in an apartment complex near the accident scene.
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. She can be reached by e-mail at mdubil@morga nhilltimes.com or phoning (408) 779-4106, Ext. 202
