Mother, daughter killed by suspected DUI driver in Santa Clara

A man died Thursday night after stepping into the path of a car on Interstate 80 in Vallejo, triggering a chain reaction crash. A man died Thursday night after stepping into the path of a car on Interstate 80 in Vallejo, triggering a chain reaction crash. Photo: California Highway Patrol / Photo: California Highway Patrol / Image 1 of / 28 Caption Close Mother, daughter killed by suspected DUI driver in Santa Clara 1 / 28 Back to Gallery

A mother and daughter believed to be leaving a Roman Catholic church service during Holy Week were killed by a drunken driver in Santa Clara, authorities said.

The Santa Clara County coroner identified the victims as San Jose residents Carina Kubow, 61, and her 92-year-old mother Angela Bontilao.

The women were struck by Vinod Kumar Naidu Bonthu, 26, of Sunnyvale, said Officer Ross Lee, a California Highway Patrol spokesman.

Bonthu was arrested on suspicion of DUI and vehicular manslaughter and was released to hospital custody due to his injuries, Lee said.

Just before 11:30 p.m. Thursday, Bonthu was traveling north on Highway 101 when he lost control of his car as he approached an off-ramp onto Great America Parkway and hit a raised curb, according to the CHP.

The impact sent his car across the highway, over the center median and into the southbound lanes, Lee said. He collided with a vehicle with four people inside, killing Kubow and Bontilao, who were passengers in the other car, Lee said.

Lee said the driver and the additional passenger in the women’s car sustained minor injuries.

Bonthu suffered major injuries. He was carrying two passengers — one with major injuries and one who sustained moderate injuries, Lee said.

Lee said officials believe the women had just left a service at Our Lady of Peace Shrine and Catholic Church, where both are parishioners. The church would have have been celebrating Holy Week, the final days of the Lent season leading up to Easter.

The church posted on Facebook lamenting the loss of the women.

“Please pray for our dear parishioners,” the post reads. “Grant eternal rest to them, O Lord, and may your perpetual light shine upon them.”

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno