Elk Grove Boulevard Tragedy: How a Hit-and-Run and Suspected DUI Led to a Fatal Collision

Barbara Lee Jury, 78, was killed Thursday evening in a head-on collision on Elk Grove Boulevard near Stonelake Club Drive that investigators believe was caused by a suspected impaired driver fleeing from a hit-and-run incident. Around 9:15 p.m., a silver sedan driven by a 51-year-old Sacramento woman crossed into the westbound lane, struck the center median, became airborne, and collided head-on with Jury’s white sedan. Police believe the silver sedan driver had been fleeing from an earlier hit-and-run crash that occurred about half a mile away on the same road, a sequence of events that set the stage for the fatal collision.

The suspected driver was transported to a local hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. She is currently being investigated and may face charges as law enforcement works through the case. The collision has renewed focus on Elk Grove Boulevard, a thoroughfare that many Sacramento-area drivers know well, and raised questions about road safety and the consequences of impaired and reckless driving in our community. Both vehicles had sole occupants at the time of the crash, and Jury’s vehicle sustained major damage including to the roof, windshield, and driver’s side.

This tragedy underscores how quickly a series of bad decisions can lead to devastating consequences. Whether it’s choosing to drive impaired, fleeing a crash scene instead of facing it, or not paying full attention to the road, these choices ripple through families and communities. Barbara Lee Jury’s death is a loss felt by her family and everyone in our community who cares about safety on our roads. What steps do you think could make a difference in preventing tragedies like this?