Head-on drunk driving crash in SLO sends couple to hospital, CHP says
Three people were hospitalized with major injuries Monday night after a man suspected of drunk driving crashed head-on into another vehicle in San Luis Obispo, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Nichalas Hill, 27, of San Luis Obispo was driving his BMW 335i northbound on South Higuera Street north of Clover Ridge Lane at a “high rate of speed” around 9 p.m. Monday when the crash occurred, the CHP said in a news release.
As Hill rounded a curve in the roadway, his car crossed double yellow lines into the southbound lane, where 61-year-old Kevin Suchoza of Rancho Cucamonga was driving his Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV.
Suchoza turned to the right, the CHP said, but there was no way to avoid the head-on collision.
According to the CHP, the right front of Hill’s vehicle struck the right front of Suchoza’s vehicle.
Suchoza was then pinned in his vehicle along with his 63-year-old wife, Yolanda Suchoza, who was riding in the passenger seat, the release said.
The couple was extracted and transported to local hospitals with major injuries, the CHP said, with Kevin Suchoza being treated at French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo and his wife being treated at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo.
Hill’s passenger, who was not identified in the release, was also transported to Sierra Vista with major injuries, the release said.
Hill was treated for minor injuries then arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of intoxicants, the CHP said.
Hill was booked into San Luis Obispo County Jail on Monday evening, but was no longer in jail custody Tuesday morning, according to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office’s inmate locater.
This story was originally published May 9, 2023 at 10:07 AM.
