By Khalida Sarwari
The Santa Cruz County coroner’s office has identified the two men who died last week when their car swerved off of a roadway and slammed into a tree near Watsonville.
Jose Aguirre, 33, of Aromas, and his 52-year-old uncle Ranulfo Aguirre, of Watsonville, were driving with three other people in a gray Chevy Silverado on Paulsen Road when the crash happened at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.
California Highway Patrol Officer Sarah Jackson said Jose Aguirre’s Chevy veered off the right side of the road and tumbled down a steep embankment. The Chevy hit a tree, crushing both occupants.
Jackson said it appears they both died immediately.
Three men sitting in the backseat suffered various injuries and were transported to three hospitals, Jackson said. The CHP identified them only as a 26-year-old man from Monterey County and two Watsonville men, ages 36 and 32.
Jackson said the five men had been out drinking Tuesday night and possibly the morning of the accident. Other passengers in the car said Jose Aguirre was intoxicated, Jackson said.
Officers recovered two full and two half-empty 40-ounce bottles of beer in the front seat.