Seeing the crushed vehicle and baby car seats strewn across the roadside sent shivers down Castro's back.

"I saw the car and I thought, 'Oh my God. How sad for that family,' " Castro said Saturday afternoon as she fought back tears. "I just drove off and went home. I would have never thought that was my sister."

Castro's younger sister, 22-year old Maria Guadalupe "Lupita" Castro of Newbury Park, was killed in that single-vehicle accident during the rain Saturday in Thousand Oaks, California Highway Patrol officials said. It was the second rain-related traffic death in two days.

The driver of the vehicle, 24-year old Jose Barajas of Newbury Park, was northbound on Highway 23 about 9:30 a.m. when he lost control of the vehicle south of Janss Road, CHP Cmdr. Cliff Williams said. The car skidded off the side of the rain-slickened road and into some trees and bushes.

Lupita was pronounced dead at the scene. It appears that she was not wearing her seat belt, CHP Officer John Davis said.

Driver reported injured

Barajas, who was Lupita's boyfriend, suffered a broken lower left leg and cuts to the back of his head and right eye. Rescue tools were used to extricate Barajas, Williams said.

A second passenger, Lupita's 3-year old son, Isaac Nathaniel, was in a car seat and was not injured, Davis said.

Barajas and Isaac were rushed to Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks.

As of Saturday night, Barajas was in stable condition at the hospital.

Seven minutes before the accident, Barajas was pulled over and given a warning for erratic driving, said Ventura County Sheriff's Department Capt. Bob LeMay.

Witnesses said Barajas might have been traveling faster than traffic. The cause of the accident is still under investigation, Davis said.

Lupita's family members, who spoke to Barajas at the hospital, said he was clearly distraught.

"He just kept on saying, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I killed my wife,' " said Lupita's younger sister, Patty. The two lived together in Newbury Park but were not married.

Virginia, who spoke in Spanish, said she had seen her daughter and Barajas only two days earlier and warned them about driving safely in the rain.

Mother raised 11 children

More than 40 family members and friends gathered at the Castros' home on Millard Street in Moorpark Saturday to lend support to Lupita's mother, Virginia. Longtime family friend Teresa Cortes said the family will need financial assistance with the funeral.

"Virginia raised all of her 11 kids by herself," Cortes said. "This is devastating."

Anyone who would like to help the family can call Cortes at 750-0922 or 529-6176.

-- Staff writer Zeke Barlow contributed to this story