Third tragedy in recent years for family that owned popular
Sinaloa Cafe
An auto accident on Monterey Road just north of Peebles Avenue claimed the life of Rosalie Pena, 50, a member of the Sinaloa Cafe Pena family at 5:11 p.m. Wednesday.
The accident is the latest tragedy for the family A fire burned down the popular Sinaloa Restaurant last June following the death in November of 1999 of the patriarch Adlopho Pena.
The accident occurred when Charles Spear, 37, of Morgan Hill, traveling southbound at a high rate of speed in a GMC Yukon and hit Pena’s Volvo S70 sedan from behind, according to the Morgan Hill Police Department. Pena’s car was parked on the side of the road.
Force of the collision forced Pena’s auto into the back of a parked commercial trailer.
Pena was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel. Spear was taken by helicopter to San Jose Medical Center where he was in critical but improving condition Thursday.
Before the accident, three callers reported to the California Highway Patrol that Spear was driving erratically and recklessly. He was arrested on a charge of felony vehicular manslaughter.
Morgan Hill Police Sgt. Dave Myers said Spear’s injuries may be life threatening.
Police are awaiting test results to determine if drugs or alcohol were an issue in the accident.
Police Chief Jerry Galvin said the investigation would take approximately two weeks to complete.
In June 2002 the restaurant the Pena family had owned and run for 40 years at Monterey Road and Peebles Avenue burned to the ground. The fire was followed by a huge outpouring of sympathy for the family, as customers far and wide recognized the loss of an institution. Pena worked as the restaurant’s bookkeeper.
Rosalie Pena’s brother, Steve, has been trying to rebuild the restaurant but has run into difficulties with financing..
Pena was born in San Jose. She worked as the bookkeeper at the Sinaloa.
She was looking forward to reopening in Morgan Hill. She said many times how she missed her patrons and friends at the Sinaloa.
She was a parishioner at Saint Catherine Catholic Church.
She is preceded in death by her father Adlopho C. Pena and survived by her mother, Mary J. Pena. She also is survived by her sister Ofelia Pena McCain of Morgan Hill,; brother Steven J. Pena of Morgan Hill; nieces Brianna Pena, Marrisa Pena and Adrianna McCain; nephews Steven Pena Jr. and Quinton McCain; sister-in-law Diane Pena; and brother-in-law Ken McCain.
Funeral Mass is scheduled at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Catherine’s Church. The times for visitation and Vigil Service have not been determined, but will be held Monday evening. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery.
Services are under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home.
Information regarding times of services will be posted at www.sinaloacafe.com
