Story thread · 3 reports / 2 sources

Carlsbad mother of 3 killed in suspected DUI hit-and-run

nbcsandiego.com · 22h · first reportShare

Carlsbad police arrested a 26-year-old Escondido man after a suspected DUI hit-and-run crash Tuesday night killed Vanessa Wheyland, a local mother of three. The crash happened near Redwood Avenue and Carlsbad Boulevard, close to Tamarack Beach. Family friends said Wheyland was struck after a family walk. Carlsbad police responded just before 8 p.m. and found Wheyland in the roadway with major injuries. Paramedics transported her to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Police said the driver, Fernando Saldana, left the scene after the crash. Investigators found him just over a mile from the crash site using evidence left at the scene, information from community members and automated license plate readers. Saldana has a prior DUI conviction and was booked into the Vista Detention Facility. Under California law, his prior conviction resulted in Saldana automatically being charged with murder. Police also arrested Saldana on charges of leaving the scene of a collision resulting