A 54-year-old man accused of killing a motorist in a driving under the influence head-on collision in Winchester was charged Friday with DUI gross vehicular manslaughter and other offenses.
Ernest “Sniper” Lugo of Westminster was arrested Sunday for allegedly causing the deadly wreck on Domenigoni Parkway that claimed the life of 65-year-old Jose Montanchez Jr. of Hemet.
Along with the manslaughter count, Lugo is charged with driving under the influence of controlled substances and a sentence-enhancing great bodily injury allegation.
The defendant pleaded not guilty during an arraignment before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Jeff Zimel, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for Nov. 2 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.
Lugo remains held on $75,000 bail at the nearby Byrd Detention Center.
According to the California Highway Patrol, he was at the wheel of a 2016 Chevrolet pickup that entered the eastbound lane of Domenigoni, near Alamar Mesa Drive while traveling west at an unconfirmed speed about 7:20 p.m. Sunday.
“The pickup was going the wrong way,” CHP Officer Jonathan Torres told City News Service. “A 2008 BMW was eastbound on Domenigoni, going the right way, and the pickup collided head-on with the BMW.”
The car and pickup sustained significant damage. Debris from the impact was hurled onto a Nissan sedan trailing the BMW, but damage to that car was minor, according to Torres.
County fire department paramedics reached the location minutes later and pronounced Montanchez dead at the scene.
Lugo and his passenger, whose identity was not disclosed, suffered minor injuries and were taken to a hospital for treatment. The defendant was screened for alcohol or drug impairment, and Torres alleged that officers verified Lugo had been driving under the influence.
He was taken into custody without incident.
The passenger was treated and released from the hospital.
Lugo has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.