The Coast News reports that an Oceanside man has been taken into custody for suspicion of DUI immediately following a fatal crash on Interstate 5 on Wednesday.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol told reporters that the suspect driver was heading northbound in a black Corvette when he suddenly veered onto the right shoulder and collided with a disabled red Dodge Caliber. The force of impact sent the sedan rolling over several times before coming to a rest a few hundred feet from where it was parked.
The driver of the Corvette then got back onto the freeway and hit an 18-wheeler before coming to a stop. The driver then got out of his vehicle and attempted to flee the scene, but was later apprehended by law enforcement officers.
The CHP and emergency crews responded to the initial crash scene. Despite all life-saving efforts made by paramedics, a female passenger died at the scene. Four additional people inside the Dodge sedan were rushed to an area hospital with moderate to major injuries. Their current condition was not available at the time of the report.
The suspect driver has been identified as 39-year-old Edwin Vincent Hoffman of Oceanside. He was arrested on the charges of felony driving under the influence of alcohol, felony hit-and-run, and gross vehicular manslaughter.
Hoffman was booked into Vista Jail and is being held on a $500,000 bond.
