A 24-year-old man suspected of driving while intoxicated caused a collision that triggered a deadly fire Monday on the Riverside (91) Freeway in Corona.
Christopher Magallon of Santa Ana was arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside Monday on suspicion of DUI gross vehicular manslaughter, DUI causing great bodily injury and DUI resulting in property damage.
Magallon is being held in lieu of $75,000 bail.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the suspect was at the wheel of a Lincoln Mark LT traveling at an unconfirmed speed westbound on the 91 about 12:30 a.m., approaching the Interstate 15 interchange, when he “veered to the right and struck the left rear” of a Toyota 4Runner.
“After the impact, the Toyota overturned and caught fire, with the driver trapped inside,” Officer Javier Navarro said.
Corona Fire Department personnel reached the location within a few minutes and extinguished the fully engulfed SUV in the fast lane. The victim, identified only as a man, was pronounced dead at the scene. He was the sole occupant of the vehicle.
Magallon’s Lincoln was found broken down in the center divider. He was still in the pickup when CHP officers detained him.
Navarro alleged that evidence collected at the scene confirmed the suspect was drunk.
He was arrested without incident.
Background information on him was unavailable.
All westbound lanes were shut down until 5 a.m., when the closures were lifted.