An Omaha woman is behind bars, waiting for extradition to Kansas, for a crash that claimed the lives of three people last November.
Authorities say 49 year old Maria Perez-Marquez, 49, was arrested in Omaha on Thursday, booked on three counts of Involuntary Manslaughter in Jackson County, Kansas. Perez-Marquez was reportedly behind the wheel on November 25, 2017 when she slammed head-on into a car carrying Carmen, Marlee and Stephen Ukele of Sabetha, Kansas.
Carmen, her daughter Marlee, and Carmen's brother-in-law Stephen were killed on Highway 75 just north of Holton as they were on their way home from seeing Carmen's sons play in a state championship football game. Tanner and Carson Ukele had just won the Kansas State Class 3A championship when their special day turned tragic. The boys were on a bus back from the championship when they got news that their mom, sister and uncle had been killed in the crash.
Authorities say Perez-Marquez was attempting to pass another vehicle when she swerved and crashed head-on into the Ukele's minivan. Carmen, the boys’ sister, eleven year old Marlee, and uncle Stephen were pronounced dead at the scene. Lee Ukele, the boys' father, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Perez-Marquez and her passenger, 29 year old Rosalao Perez, were also airlifted to a Kansas City hospital with serious injuries. Perez-Marquez faces the involuntary manslaughter charges, as well as two counts of Aggravated Battery, for injuring Lee Ukele and Rosalao Perez, and one count of Reckless Driving.