Toddler ejected from vehicle

An Arbuckle woman faces felony child endangerment charges after her 1-year-old son was ejected from her vehicle in Glenn County Saturday night.

The child, Willie Patterson of Willows, was not properly restrained and sustained a depressed skull fracture and head trauma, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The victim’s mother, 29-year-old Maria Paniagua of Arbuckle, faces felony DUI and child endangerment charges.

Paniagua was driving her 2004 Toyota Corolla on Highway 162, west of County Road 302 just after 8 p.m. Saturday.

She told investigators she swerved suddenly to avoid colliding with a deer, the CHP said.

Paniagua went off the north side of the roadway, attempted to correct and lost control. The vehicle spun out of control onto the south shoulder where it overturned and ejected the child, the CHP said.

Paniagua, an unemployed child-care worker, was booked into Glenn County Jail on Saturday in lieu of more than $90,000 bail, according to booking documents.

She has no known prior convictions in Glenn or Colusa Counties.

The child was listed in “good” condition Tuesday in a Sacramento hospital.

Contact Rob Parsons at 934-6800 or rparsons@tcnpress.com.