No criminal charges were filed Thursday against a 36-year-old man accused of driving under the influence and causing a four-vehicle wreck at a Temecula intersection that injured seven people, and it was unclear what might happen next in the case.
Matthew Thomas Jackson of Temecula was arrested and booked into the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta Sunday on suspicion of DUI resulting in great bodily injury and hit-and-run resulting in injuries.
As of late Thursday afternoon, Jackson remained held on $500,000 bail. His speedy arraignment window guaranteed under state law came and went, but the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office had not filed a criminal complaint, apparently due to an incomplete investigation by the sheriff’s department.
“This case is still under investigation and will be reviewed once it’s submitted to our office,” according to a statement released by the D.A.’s office to City News Service.
It was unknown whether Jackson might be “flash-released” from custody and re-arrested on the same allegations.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Joey Sinz, the multi-vehicle collision happened just after 7 p.m. Sunday on Butterfield Stage Road at Channel Street.
Sinz alleged that Jackson was headed southbound in a car that plowed through a red light, slamming into another vehicle going westbound on Channel.
The collision impacted two other vehicles, as well, and after all of them came to rest, the suspect allegedly bailed out of his car and ran away, according to the sergeant.
“Witnesses provided deputies with the suspect’s direction of travel, and deputies located and detained him,” Sinz said.
Jackson did not require hospitalization. Deputies determined he was allegedly under the influence of alcohol.
County fire department personnel reached the location within minutes and identified a total of seven patients — “two with serious injuries, two with moderate injuries and three who were assessed and declined further treatment,” according to the agency.
The four with moderate to serious injuries were taken to a regional trauma center for treatment and are expected to recover.
Background information on the suspect was unavailable.