Watch CBS News

Missing Williams Woman Is Sister Of I-5 Wrong-Way Crash Victim

WILLIAMS, Calif. (CBS13) - A Williams woman died in a fatal collision in Woodland on Sunday. Now, her older sister Karen Garcia is missing.

"I'm just afraid she's hurt somewhere and can't get to us," said Linda Quintero, Karen's best friend.

The 21-year-old was last seen leaving her Colusa apartment on Monday. Her sister received a text saying: "Hey I'm at Roseville and Vacaville today, I have to run some errands. I'll be back late tonight okay." That was at 5:10pm on Monday and no one has heard from her since.

ALSO READ: Authorities Identify 6 Killed In Wrong-Way I-5 Crash Near Woodland

"I'm just really worried, cause it's not like her," Quintero said.

Quintero sent Karen a text Monday at 3:51 p.m.

"I'm in Yuba City, you need anything?" she wrote.

Karen responded saying: "No. I'm in Roseville. Needed some busy time. Yeah, I needed some time to myself."

Early Sunday morning, Karen's sister Jessica Garcia died along with four others in a fiery collision on I-5 in Woodland.

"Ever since that, her head has been, kind of, everywhere," Quintero said.

Salvador Garcia lives with Karen in Colusa and the two share a child: 2-year-old Avianna.

ALSO READ: Is The Region's Wrong-Way Driver Detection System Working?

"She got in her car and she took off," Garcia recounted. "Just in a rush to get out."

But Karen had left her purse, wallet, and I.D at Quintero's apartment.

Sargent Steve Woldanski of the Williams Police Department told CBS13 officers have been speaking with her friends and family, trying to piece together details about her whereabouts. They've circulated a flyer with her photo to surrounding agencies and officers are on the lookout for her blue Honda Accord. But their biggest challenge is the wide search area from Marysville to Vacaville to Roseville.

Karen was scheduled to work Tuesday afternoon but never showed up.

"That's never like her, she's always there!" Garcia said.

Williams Police Department is the lead agency on the case asks anyone with information on her location to call the department. Karen's friends searched for her in Marysville on Tuesday and Wednesday. They plan to continue the search in Roseville on Thursday.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.