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Sonoma winemaker who died in car crash was struck by vineyard manager
Mark Osbourne, an oenologist at Gary Farrell Winery, died earlier this week after being struck by an alleged drunk driver. It has since been reported that the driver in question was Ulises Valdez Jr. of Valdez & Sons Vineyard Management. His father, Ulises Valdez Sr. was one of Sonoma’s most respected vineyard managers.
Ulises Valdez arrested for DUI after he loses control of Dodge Ram on curve on High School Road near Gaye outside Sebastopol, hitting & injuring two bicyclists, a 12yo boy & man in his 50s, before crashing into pole & tree, per @CHPSantaRosa. All 3 suffered major injuries pic.twitter.com/JrUNsPLb12
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) May 13, 2021
It was reported earlier this week that Mr Osbourne, 53, had been riding his bicycle along High School Road on 12 May when a driver who was later found to be under the influence of alcohol struck him.
Valdez, Osbourne – who was hailed as an “amazing” winemaker by friends and colleagues – and the 12-year-old were all transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with serious injuries. The preteen was later moved to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland.
It has since been reported by Wine Spectator, among others, that Ulises Valdez Jr. was the driver of the pickup truck that struck Osbourne and the preteen. Valdez Jr. is the son of Ulises Valdez Sr., one of the most well-respected vineyard managers in Sonoma before his death in 2018.
After it was established that Mr Valdez had been under the influence of alcohol, he was arrested for felony DUI, according to police officials.
Adelina Valdez, family matriach, provided the following statement to Wine Spectator:
“There’s nothing we can say to alleviate the pain and grief of the families who have lost and suffered. They’re in our thoughts and prayers.”
Mark Osbourne was hailed as an “amazing winemaker” and adventurous spirit by close friends and his partner, who paid tribute to him.
“He loved life,” said Tracy Hinman, Osbourne’s partner, per the San Francisco Chronicle.
“He was not a sit-around-and-watch-TV person. Every day was: What’s today’s adventure? He always wanted to learn something new.”
He is survived by his partner, Tracy Hinman, his parents Sean and Anne Osborne, and his sister Paula Matters.