Man Arrested In Theft Of Dying Woman's Purse

SAN DIEGO -- A man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of stopping at an accident site and stealing the purse of a pregnant woman who suffered fatal injuries in a rollover crash on Interstate 5 in Solana Beach, a California Highway Patrol officer said.

Officers apprehended Mark Christopher Struk, 31, and an unidentified woman in Carlsbad around 3 p.m., said CHP Officer Mark Latulippe. The woman was later released. Struk remains in jail accused of felony theft, CHP officials told 10News.

A witness told authorities a motorist in a Subaru station wagon briefly stopped at the crash scene and scooped up Yine Gonzalez's purse after it dropped onto the freeway early Sunday morning. According to a news release from the CHP, investigators were assisted by tips from the public which included a description of the vehicle and its license plate number.

The 24-year-old Tijuana woman, who was six months pregnant, was partially ejected when a Ford Explorer driven by her husband rolled several times after being clipped by another vehicle, Latulippe said.

The Carlsbad man accused of causing the crash is scheduled to be arraigned next week, according to authorities.

John Francis Sudac, 27, is out of custody after posting $200,100 bail and is due at the Vista courthouse on Monday afternoon, said Paul Levikow of the District Attorney's Office.

Sudac surrendered Sunday night and was booked on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and other charges in connection with the crash, according to the CHP.

According to the CHP, Sudac was behind the wheel of a speeding Nissan Altima that clipped the back of the SUV just north of Lomas Santa Fe Drive.

Latulippe said Gonzalez died at a hospital, where doctors were also unable to save her fetus. Her husband, 5-year-old daughter and two relatives were treated for minor injuries.

Latulippe said Sudac and a male passenger ran from the wrecked Nissan, but the driver turned himself in Sunday night. The passenger remains at large.

The CHP asked anyone with information on the case to call (858) 637-3800.