Getting behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol or drugs is something that should never be done. While you might believe that you can get to where you are going without getting caught by police, or worse, getting into an accident, the chances of the situation ending in tragedy are too high for anyone to consider.
The Orange County Register reported on Tuesday that’s possibly what happened with a two-vehicle collision in the early morning hours of Monday, September 27. The accident ended in the death of an Irvine woman and the arrest of a second driver on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs.
According to a statement issued by Lt. Bill Bigham with the Irvine Police Department, at approximately 4:10 a.m., the driver of a Toyota Prius and the driver of a Mercedes Benz collided at the intersection of Sand Canyon Avenue and Irvine Center Drive.
Emergency crews and paramedics were dispatched to the scene of the accident. The 61-year-old woman driving the Toyota Prius was pronounced dead at the scene.
After observing the behavior and conducting field sobriety tests on the driver of the Mercedes Benz, Irvine Police officers arrested the man on suspicion of DUI.
The suspected DUI driver has been identified as 21-year-old Luis Marcial Diaz of Irvine.
Irvine Police detectives are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact Detective Roberto Solis at (949) 724-7024.