Vol. 3, Issue 19, May 8-14
By Jonathan VolzkeSan Clemente Times
A pregnant woman (and mother) was killed Saturday when a Chevy Blazer slammed into a palm tree, and authorities arrested the driver on suspicion of drunk driving, just four months after he pleaded guilty to another DUI.
Andrea Gerdon, 33. Mom and mother to be.
Authorities said that the woman who died, Andrea Gerdon, 33, of Anaheim, was pregnant.
Danny Calvin Ruiz, 35, was being held on $1 million bail after the wreck, on Camino de Estrella at the Dana Point-San Clemente border. Orange County Superior Court records show Ruiz has a long history of serious run-ins with the law: In 1991, he pleaded guilty to robbery and car theft and was sentenced to two years in state prison. In 1995, he was convicted of carjacking and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was also found to be a habitual criminal.
In November 2007, Ruiz was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor driving under the influence and of driving with a blood-alcohol limit above the state’s legal limit of .08. In that case, he pleaded guilty in January and was sentenced to five days in jail, ordered to pay a $390 fine, ordered to participate in a three-month “first offender alcohol program,” a Mothers Against Drunk Driving victims’ impact panel and was placed on three years probation.
But he was arrested again on Saturday, after a truck jumped the curb and hit a tree while heading west on Camino de Estrella, just east of the San Diego Freeway. Ruiz and Gerdon were both pinned in the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Sheriff’s spokesperson Jim Amormino said Tuesday that Gerdon was less than 20 weeks pregnant.
Ruiz suffered moderate to serious injuries and was taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange. He was placed under arrest for suspicion of drunken driving, authorities said.
Transportation officials on Monday worked to replace the signal controller on Estrella near the freeway. Stoplights blinked red, while stop signs had been placed in the street. A small memorial of candles had been placed at the base of the palm tree the Blazer struck before flipping.
Because Ruiz is in the hospital, he will not be arraigned, or asked to enter a plea, until he recovers. A deputy is standing guard. Gerdon’s pregnancy could lead to an additional manslaughter charge, Amormino said.
HOME (read more DUI Stories and News)
that lady is my mom
ReplyDeleteI hope this a**hole gets the chair for killing my friend and her unborn baby.
ReplyDeleteshe was a great freind and even a better mother. I hope her daughter get through this ok. I send my love and best wishes from an old friend, ride free drea you with god now peace thoughts for your family. And for the fool who took her life ... may god have mery on your soul cause NOBODY ELSE DOES!!! FROM THE SLC
ReplyDeleteso fuckin sad danny is a good friend and has lived a hard life behind bars i know he will have to live in agony everyday the rest of his life knowing what he did!!
ReplyDeleteYour totally right about Danny. Theres no way to ever make up for what has happened. And knowing Danny personally, every minute this will be on his mind. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Gerdon family, and her little girl.
ReplyDeletefuck danny. he fucked his only chance at a normal life and took away somones daughter, mother, and friend to alot of people.go's to show you.. once a p.o.s.... always a p.o.s.!!!! rot in your shit hole buddy. life go's on without you!!!!you burned my daughter and her family pretty bad so i know you'll get yours in the end!!!!
ReplyDeletefrom efren........
F*** you Efren. Until you know what you're talking about, don't involve yourself into someone elses life. My brother was a good man and did all he could to make a better life for himself and his girlfriend who he loved dearly. The pain he's enduring now will never compare to the hypocritical BS you people post about him. He was SO excited about having a son and did more for Keirsten than her own biological father EVER did and you all come here and talk about what a monster he is. If any of you put in any time taking care of Andrea or Keirsten, then talk to me!! I'm Dannys sister and although his past isn't perfect, not ONE of you should try and judge him.
ReplyDeleteHow is danny doing? Shantell
DeleteI LOVE how people take this opportunity to feel better about themselves. If Keirstens dad was around this whole time, it would be a differen story. But just like the president of MADD got caught drunk driving, it's obvious that people make mistakes! Where has Keirstens biological father been this WHOLE TIME?!?!? My brother LOVED Andrea AND Keirsten without judgement. It was a horrible accident in which none of you ignorant people hopefully will NEVER endure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I pray for that girl EVERY DAY!!!!
ReplyDeletethis guy even looks like a loser..then hearing he was a convict who spent many years behind bars just confirms he is loser, POS or whatever the fuck you call scum..The only sad part is that this beautiful girl didn't have enough self confidence to recognize it and fine someone who could have treated her like queen instead of a ornament for a tree leaving her child without a mom...
ReplyDeleteLadies, you don't have to put up with self righteous, conceded assholes...The fact that he was driving reckless and drunk with a pregnant woman in the car reflects his disregard for human life----I mean, that's without knowning he spend many years behind bars robbery and car theft...
F*ck him. Die Hoe...many chances he had to get out of the shyt he has done. Id f*ck his asss up if I ever saw him. Split his dome and then throw gasoline on him then set his asss on fire. Either that or put bricks on his feet and throw him over a bridge. F*ck him.
ReplyDeleteWhy is nobody bothering to mention the obvious? No offense to the Gerdon Family but Andrea chose to get in that vehicle with Danny after watching him consume alcohol. I'm not saying it is her fault or that she or their son deserved to be hurt and sadly killed but, she was the one who was responsible for protecting her unborn baby. As a mother I know this to be true. We are the one's who are suppossed to nuture and protect our unborn children. She totally failed to do so by willing getting into the vehicle with him. Since Danny was impaired by his drinking maybe she should of stepped up and taken his keys away or refused to drive with him. If she would have she could of saved 3 lives. Funny how nobody talks about her actual blood alcohol level. She also consumed alcohol that evening. Pregnant and drinking then gets into a car with a drunk. Maybe Danny should of only been charged and convicted of Andrea's murder. Had she survived, Andrea herself should of been held responsible for their son's death.
ReplyDeletewhat ever happens is very sad, at least he should need to learn something from his past. repeating the same mistakes again & again doesn't make sense.
ReplyDeleteIf any of you have known him like I have for over 27 yrs, YOU CAN ALL FUCKIN ROT AND BURN IN ETERNAL HELL!!!!
ReplyDeletespent the day with my daughter at Disney today. it was great. there was a few times she looked at me and all i saw was Andrea. she asked me what?? i didn't tell her. im glad shes growing up and living a good life. i love my daughter with all my hart. not very many of you know how Andrea and i were. but i did know everything that was going on in her life. i met all her boyfriends, Kiersten stayed with me sometimes too. point is i knew what she was going thru. i knew what she was planning to do. i knew she was not happy. she waited 12 years for this guy and instead of doing right by this girl and the family he was trying to start. he maid bad choices...again!!! now if anybody knows people that have bin locked up, then you know they almost always violate and go back. i remember very well my last conversation with Andrea. i remember every word we said to each other. everyday i wish this never happened. i know i haven't done the best i can but don't play Danny out to b a saint. things i said before were out of anger and hate for the man. i don't feel the same way today.it was just dumb luck that i came across this post from almost two years ago.
ReplyDeleteThis is a Heart Wrenching Story...I know this, We all do things we wish we could redo,and I know,this man wish's he could redo this.he wishes it was him that died instead of his gf,and unborn baby,He has told me so many times!!. when I meet him,his intire world was full of depression,and guilt,till he allowed me in,now he has hope again,why because There was a reason why we meet,we both know this...God is Making a way to give this man hope,and he know it,i know it! we all Change!!
ReplyDeleteDanny is a good person. None of us can say we've never made a bad decision!!! Seeing all of these horrible, hateful comments about him make me so mad. I understand the family's hurt and anguish, but if you don't think that he has to live with it every single day of his life, you're crazy!!! When I read these comments it's as though......you think he did it on purpose!! It was an accident!!!! Yes, he had a bad past, so then does that mean he made this horrible tragedy happen and should be put in prison for life?!?!?!?! NO!!!!!! All of you, bashing him, should be ashamed of yourselves!!!!!! Do you think she would have wanted him in prison for life for this ACCIDENT?!?! Get your minds right!!! This man deserves freedom and to live his life. This could happen to anyone! Just because he had past convictions.....he's a "bad guy"????......smh....he's a great man.
ReplyDelete