Wrong way highway driver charged with murders of mother and son

For release on September 6, 2024 

CONTACT: 

Michael Gadeberg  
Deputy District Attorney
Homicide Unit 
(408) 808-3773
[email protected]

Wrong way highway driver charged with murders of mother and son 

The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has charged a Florida man with murder after he sped 100 MPH the wrong way on Highway 85 for nine miles, finally smashing his truck head-on into an oncoming car.

A mother and her teenaged son were killed in the crash.

Duncan Park McQuarrie III, 39, of Orlando, suffered relatively minor injuries from the crash. McQuarrie will be arraigned on two counts of murder this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. in Department 23 of the Hall of Justice in San Jose. If convicted, he faces prison.

District Attorney Jeff Rosen said: “This criminally reckless crash destroyed a family. We will do everything in our legal power to make sure he never hurts anyone else again.”  

In the mid-afternoon of August 26, the 2024 Toyota Tacoma was reported to be traveling southbound within the northbound lanes of SR-85. Witnesses reported the Toyota was traveling at 80 to 100 MPH, using all lanes. One witness reported seeing the Toyota stopped, within the center traffic divide, facing the wrong way, around Union Avenue. The driver exited the Toyota and walked into the lane of northbound SR-85 and stood with his arms raised in the air for several minutes, before getting back into the Toyota and taking off at a high rate of speed, still traveling in the wrong direction.

Around 3:40 p.m. near Santa Teresa Boulevard in San Jose, he struck the victim’s Tesla head-on, killing the 47-year-old driver and her 14-year-old son.

A CHP officer at the scene suspected that McQuarrie was driving under the influence.  

###