Twice-convicted DUI driver accused of murder in Riverside County crash

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A DUI Driver Accused of Murder in Wildomar Crash

Erica Pearl Machuca, 33, of Hemet, was taken into custody on suspicion of murder and two other DUI-related allegations following a fatal car crash in Wildomar that killed Debra Amicay, 56, of Murrieta. The accident occurred on November 24, 2025, just after 9 p.m., resulting in the death of the passenger in one of the vehicles.

Machuca's blood-alcohol level was found to be 0.08 or higher, according to police, and she has two previous convictions for driving under the influence - a misdemeanor count in 2012 and another in 2022. In both cases, she pleaded guilty and completed counseling programs as part of her plea deals.

The crash occurred on Palomar Street near Clinton Keith Road in Wildomar, where Amicay was riding as a passenger. The other driver was hospitalized in critical condition. Machuca's arrest is the latest development in an ongoing investigation into the incident.

Machuca could face charges of second-degree murder, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years to life in state prison. As a DUI offender, she had signed a document stating that she understood she could be charged with murder if she drove while impaired again and killed someone.
 
This is just so tragic 🤕. I mean, can you even imagine being driving home from work or whatever and then having your life completely turned upside down like this? The woman who was murdered, Debra Amicay, was just 56 years old... it's just heartbreaking. And to think that the driver, Erica Machuca, had already been in trouble with DUI before... I don't know, it just feels like there were so many warning signs here. Two previous convictions for DUI and she still managed to get behind the wheel again? It's like, what happened? Did she not understand the risks?

And now we're talking about murder charges... 15 years to life in state prison is a pretty harsh sentence, but considering the circumstances, I don't think it's enough. I mean, we know that Machuca was impaired at the time of the crash, and she knew that. So why should she get off scot-free? It's just not right. The victim's family must be going through hell right now... my heart goes out to them 🤗.
 
🚗💔 I'm still trying to wrap my head around this... like, how did it come to this? A DUI driver, multiple times, and now facing potential life in prison for a fatal crash? It's just so senseless 🤯. And the fact that she had signed a document stating she'd be charged with murder if she drove impaired again and killed someone is just crazy 😲. What does that even say about our justice system, you know? Like, how can we expect people to follow the rules when the consequences aren't harsh enough? 🤔
 
OMG, like, can't even believe this is happening 🤯. A DUI driver killing someone? It's just so senseless 🙅‍♀️. I mean, we've all been there, had a drink too many, thought we're fine to drive... but Debra's family doesn't get to have that option anymore 😔.

And the fact that Erica Machuca has previous convictions for DUI and was warned about this possibility... it's just not right 🤷‍♀️. I hope she gets the help she needs, but at the same time, justice needs to be served 💪. 15 years to life in prison sounds like a pretty steep price to pay for being reckless behind the wheel 🚗. Can we please talk about responsible drinking and driving habits more? 🤦‍♀️
 
I'm telling you, there's more to this story than meets the eye... like, have you noticed how quickly Machuca was arrested? Just 3 days after the accident? That's gotta count for something, right? And what's with all these DUI convictions she's got? It seems like she's been driving around with a death wish or somethin'. But let's not forget, she signed that agreement... but was it really an agreement, or just some kinda setup to get her in trouble again? I mean, have you seen those DUI tests they use? They can be pretty sketchy. And what about the other driver who got hurt? Are we hearin' from them at all? This whole thing is just too convenient...
 
I'm worried about this latest incident in Wildomar... it's just devastating to think about what happened to Debra Amicay 🤕. I mean, you're already dealing with the stress of driving at night when suddenly your life is taken away. And for Erica Machuca, it seems like she made some choices that led her down this path - two previous DUI convictions, and now facing murder charges... 😟. It's a harsh reminder that our roads are no joke, and we need to be more careful and responsible behind the wheel. 🚗💡
 
I'm not buying the whole "she's just another drunk driver" vibe 🙄... I mean, sure, having two DUI convictions doesn't exactly scream "good Samaritan". But is this really a case of reckless driving or pure negligence? What if Machuca wasn't even aware she was driving impaired that night? Was there some sort of toxic mix of substances or environment that threw her off the wheel? We don't know all the facts yet... and I think it's way too hasty to say this is just another preventable DUI tragedy. There might be more going on here than meets the eye 🔍
 
just heard about this wildomar crash and its super sad 🤕... the thing is, you gotta feel for machuca's situation too, she's got two past convictions and seems like she's been through rehab counseling already, but clearly it wasn't enough to keep her safe on the road. at the same time, 0.08 blood-alcohol level is still a pretty serious impairment, especially when combined with the fact that someone else was in the car 😕... how did we miss this? another question: what's going on with our system if she signed those documents and it still ended up like this? 🤔
 
This is getting outta hand! 🚨💔 I mean, we all know the risks of driving under the influence are serious, but 0.08? That's not even a lot of booze! 😬 I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that she got away with two DUIs and now her life is literally on the line for this? It just doesn't seem fair. The fact that she signed that doc stating she'd face murder charges if she did it again should've been enough to keep her behind bars a long time ago... I guess you could say justice is finally catching up with her, but still... 🤯
 
I'm still trying to wrap my head around this 😱 one of these DUI drivers is literally expected to not drink and drive? like what's the logic behind that? we've had enough cases where it's "oh I made a mistake, let me sign this paper" 🙄 and then BAM! someone gets killed. it's just so messed up. and now she's facing 15 years to life... poor Debra Amicay 😔 her family is going through hell right now. the thing that really gets me is how many times does one have to get caught driving under the influence before they're considered a threat to public safety? 🤷‍♀️ Machuca had two previous convictions and still thought it was okay to get behind the wheel after drinking... no wonder she's being charged with murder.
 
Man... this is just so senseless 🤕. I remember when my own sister got into a fender bender back in the day and the other driver was totally at fault, but still had to deal with the stress of having to take a breathalyzer test. It's crazy how that can mess with your life.

The thing is, you'd think that after two DUIs and knowing the risks, someone would be more careful behind the wheel 🙄. I mean, I've seen some reckless driving in my day, but this takes it to a whole new level. And now, someone's lost their life over it 💔.

I'm not one to judge, but come on... if you know you're going to get pulled over for DUI again, take responsibility and stay home 🛋️. It's just not worth risking lives like this.
 
🤕 just read about this DUI driver who's accused of murder after a car crash in Wildomar and i'm really worried about people like her... it's crazy how reckless behavior can lead to devastating consequences not only for the person behind the wheel but also for innocent passengers like Debra Amicay 😔 what's even more scary is that she has two previous convictions for DUI and still thought she could get away with driving impaired again 🚗😱 it just goes to show that you really need to be super responsible when it comes to getting behind the wheel
 
Dude, I'm shocked a driver with two prior DWI convictions didn't lose their license by now 🙄. Like, come on! They should've known better than to get behind the wheel after drinking... not to mention, 0.08+ is way above the limit, even for someone who's been there before. And another thing, what kind of deal was that with the first DWI? Only counseling and they're still driving drunk two years later? It's like they thought they could just get away with it 🤷‍♂️.

It's not surprising the state took a closer look at this one, considering Machuca signed that "murder if impaired again" doco. I guess you can't outsmart the system, especially when you're making reckless choices behind the wheel 💔. Anyway, 15 to life is looking pretty likely for her, and hopefully, it'll be a strong message for all those who think they can drink and drive without consequences 🚗😡
 
idk how u guys feel about this but its crazy she got 2 previous DUI convictions yet still got behind the wheel? like whats the lesson learned here? 🤯 i mean we all know she's a DUI offender now, but does anyone think that maybe if she didn't drive impaired again, this wouldn't have happened at all? and what's with the "document" thing? isnt that just a way to cover their backs vs actually doing something to prevent these kinds of accidents from happening in the first place?
 
oh my gosh, this is so crazy 🤯 I mean, how many times does one person have to get caught for driving under the influence before they learn their lesson? 0.08 is already super high, it's like, duh, you're drunk! And two previous convictions and she still thought she was above the law? 😡 It's just so frustrating when these kinds of situations happen, especially with innocent people like Debra Amicay who didn't deserve to die.

I'm not saying Machuca doesn't deserve consequences for her actions, but 15 years to life in prison seems pretty harsh even if you consider it a murder charge. I mean, we need to take drunk driving more seriously and hold people accountable, but sometimes these punishments feel like they're way out of whack 🤷‍♀️
 
I'm seeing so many stories about people making reckless choices on the road and it just breaks my heart 😩. Like, Erica Machuca's blood-alcohol level was 0.08 or higher? That's already a huge red flag 🚨. And she has a history of DUIs too... it's not like this is her first time putting people's lives at risk. Debra Amicay's family must be going through so much right now, and the fact that Machuca was aware of the risks and still chose to drive impaired is just devastating 💔. We all have a responsibility to be safe on the roads and respect our fellow human beings 🚗💕. Can we please all just take a deep breath and make some positive changes in our lives? Maybe start with taking care of ourselves and being mindful of how our actions affect others? 🌟
 
Ugh, can't believe this 🤯. Some people just don't get it, you know? Drinking and driving is literally the worst thing to do. Like, I've seen people freak out when their phone is out of battery or something, but apparently, getting behind the wheel drunk is okay? Newsflash: it's not! 0.08 is considered impaired, which means she was way over that threshold. And two previous DUIs? That just shows how irresponsible she is. I'm all for second chances and rehabilitation, but this girl's actions are just unacceptable 😡. The fact that she knew the risks and still chose to drive like a maniac... it's just infuriating. Fingers crossed justice is served 👍
 
I'm so down on Erica Machuca getting arrested for this 😂 like, I get it, drunk driving is no joke, but 33? That's still pretty young to me...and yeah, two DUIs shouldn't be a huge deal, especially if she was able to get off with counseling programs both times. Maybe our system needs some shaking up because she's getting the book thrown at her for this one 🤷‍♀️. And what's with the "understood you could be charged with murder" thing? Like, who comes up with that kinda deal? It seems kinda harsh to me 😐.
 
can you believe this is happening in our own backyard? i mean, Wildomar's not exactly known for its traffic chaos, so when something like this happens it really shocks me. 0.08 blood-alcohol level is pretty high, but i guess that's a reminder we all need to be more careful on the roads. machuca's got a history of DUIs, and you'd think she'd know better by now. it's just so senseless when someone loses their life like that.
 
🚗💔 this is just another example of how reckless driving can have devastating consequences 💥. i mean, 0.08 blood-alcohol level might not seem like a lot to some, but it's still a serious offense 🤯. considering machuca has a history of dui offenses, you'd think she'd know better than to get behind the wheel after drinking 😴.

it's crazy that she pleaded guilty twice before and got off with counseling programs 🤷‍♀️. it just goes to show how lax the system can be when it comes to DUIs ⏰. and now she's facing life in prison for taking someone's life 💀? that's just heartbreaking 😩.

i'm not sure what's more disturbing, the fact that machuca was driving impaired or that she had signed a document stating she could face murder charges again if she drove like this 📝. it raises so many questions about accountability and personal responsibility 🤔. how can someone be so reckless with their own life, and the lives of others? 💥
 
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