Mercer then swerved back to the road, causing the pickup to flip over several times, striking a guardrail and a bridge railing before coming to rest upright on the roadway.Singer-Beilin was ejected from the truck and her body found at the bottom of a barranca that crosses under Foothill Road.CHP investigators believe that Singer-Beilin was sitting in the front seat, which did not have a seat belt for a second passenger; Frick was wearing a seat belt but received fatal injuries in the rollovers. Coultas, who was sitting behind Frick, was not wearing a seat belt and was also ejected from the vehicle.An unidentified passerby not involved in the accident broke his leg as he went down the barranca to try to help identify Singer-Beilin.A 1998 graduate of St. Bonaventure High School, Coultas received a degree in liberal studies and agricultural science when he graduated last year from Cal State Chico.Limoneira Co. employed Coultas, known as a role model for others and who possessed a strong sense of humor, as an avocado and lemon foreman. Frick, who grew up with his cousin Coultas, was a semi-professional baseball player being eyed by the majors.
CHP investigating accident that killed Coultas, two others
December 03, 2003
Santa Paula News
California Highway Patrol investigators are still looking into the early morning Thanksgiving crash that killed three young people – one from Santa Paula – and led to the arrest of another city resident.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesCalifornia Highway Patrol investigators are still looking into the early morning Thanksgiving crash that killed three young people – one from Santa Paula – and led to the arrest of another city resident.Timothy Coultas, 23, of Santa Paula was killed instantly in the 1:54 a.m. crash as was his cousin, Michael Frick, also 23 of Ventura. A third victim, 22-year-old Rebecca Singer-Beilin, was also pronounced dead at the scene.The driver, Tomas Mercer Jr. of Santa Paula, who had been chosen as the designated driver of Frick’s truck by the others, received major injuries. He was arrested by the CHP on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and vehicular manslaughter. He was transported to Ventura County Medical Center where he remains in critical condition.Two other passengers, Jacob Waltrip, 23 and Carson Davidson, 25, both of Ventura, received minor injuries in the crash.Mercer and his five friends were coming back to Santa Paula after playing pool and drinking at DJ’s, a Ventura lounge. As the 1997 Ford double-cab pickup truck Mercer was driving eastbound approached a curve along Foothill Road near Aliso Canyon Road, it “drifted to the right onto the dirt shoulder,” said CHP Officer Steve Reid.
