3 injured in drunk driving crash on Highway 58, CHP says
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A drunk driver drifted off of Highway 58 and crashed his vehicle into an oak tree northeast of Santa Margarita on Friday morning, injuring himself and two passengers, the California Highway Patrol said.
Luis Montesinos, 19, was under the influence of an alcoholic beverage around 7:50 a.m. Friday as he drove a 2000 Toyota Camry westbound on Highway 58 east of Goldie Lane, according to a CHP news release.
“Due to his level of alcohol impairment,” Montesinos allowed his vehicle to drift to the right as he traveled through a left-hand curve, the news release said.
When Montesinos realized he was drifting towards the north shoulder, he attempted to swerve back into the eastbound lane, the CHP said.
As his Camry crossed the double yellow line, he turned the vehicle “back to the right crossing the westbound lane and north shoulder,” and crashed into an oak tree, the release said.
The crash “caused (the vehicle) to rotate in a clockwise manner and the vehicle continued traveling westbound, where the rear end collided with another oak tree,” the CHP said.
The vehicle then rotated counter-clockwise again, and it slid north down an embankment, according to the CHP.
According to the CHP, Montesinos suffered a major injury in the crash — as did one of his four passengers, 30-year-old Ismael Sodano.
Another passenger, 29-year-old Antonio Solano, sustained a minor injury, the release said.
Two other passengers — Alberto Montesino, 34, and Manuel Tenorio, 32, were uninjured, the CHP said.
Montesinos was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of intoxicants, CHP Officer Patrick Seebart wrote in an email.
Montesinos did not appear to be in San Luis Obispo County Jail custody as of Friday afternoon, according to jail records.
This story was originally published February 10, 2023 at 2:31 PM.
