Richmond couple killed in suspected DUI in Southern California, family seeking to bring bodies home

article

Richmond couple Jose Lozano and Luz Duran Rios were killed in a suspected DUI crash in Carlsbad, Calif. on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. (Jose Ramirez)

RICHMOND, Calif. - A Richmond couple traveling to Mexico for a birthday celebration was killed in a suspected drunk driving crash in Southern California on Saturday, leaving behind six children.

Jose Lozano and his wife, Luz Duran Rios, were on Interstate 5 near Carlsbad in San Diego County shortly before 4 a.m., when an alleged drunk driver slammed into the Jeep Grand Cherokee they were in, causing the vehicle to flip over, according to the California Highway Patrol. The jeep was then hit by a passing car.

Duran Rios died at the scene. Emergency crews rushed Lozano to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

The couple’s family said that the two were on their way to the airport for a trip to Cabo San Lucas in celebration of Duran Rios’s birthday.

Now the family was preparing to hold a memorial to say goodbye and pay tribute to the couple and the impact they had on others.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help bring the bodies back home to the Bay Area and for funeral costs.

In addition to the six children, the couple left behind eight grandkids.

Photos shared with KTVU offered snapshots of the close-knit bond the couple shared with their family.

Vacation photo of Jose Lozano Luz Duran Rios with their family. The couple was killed in a suspected DUI crash on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. (Jose Ramirez)

As the family reached out for assistance, they also stressed that they did not want anyone to give beyond their means.

"We know everyone who knew them loved them dearly and will be happy to contribute but please do not feel obligated if it will create any hardship," the couple's children wrote on GoFundMe.

A 28-year-old woman has been arrested on charges of driving under the influence and gross vehicular manslaughter.

Family members said any amount left over from the money raised to help lay Lozano and Duran Rios to rest, would go toward an organization working to combat drunk driving.

You can find the Jose G Lozano and Luz M Duran Rios GoFundMe here.

(Jose Ramirez)

Richmond couple Jose Lozano and Luz Duran Rios were killed in a suspected DUI crash in Carlsbad, Calif. on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. (Jose Ramirez)