A suspected drunken driver who allegedly caused a head-on crash that killed two people north of Desert Center pleaded not guilty Thursday to felony counts of DUI gross vehicular manslaughter and drunken driving causing injury.
Austin Bly Ellington, 19, of Anza, is accused in the June 29 crash on state Route 62, east of state Route 177.
According to California Highway Patrol Officer Jackie Quintero, at 9:27 p.m., Ellington, who was 18 at the time of the crash, was driving a white Dodge Ram east on state Route 62 that drifted into the westbound lane and slammed head-on into a red Dodge Ram driven by 57-year-old Banning resident David Brian Chance, who died at the scene.
Mariah Garcia, 20, of Anza, was riding in Ellington’s truck and also died at the scene, Quintero said. Ellington and another of his passengers were airlifted to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs with major injuries.
Ellington was arrested July 17 at the hospital, according to county jail records. He’s currently out of custody on $220,000 bail and due back in court Sept. 24 for a felony settlement conference.