An early morning crash in downtown Riverside, California, on Sunday, March 29th, led to the death of one person and the arrest of another. Dennis Reed, 35, of Corona died at the scene of the accident, while Riverside police arrested 21-year-old Harrison Mendoza.
The police preliminary accident report showed that the accident occurred at about 4:18 a.m. on Jurupa Avenue. Mendoza was driving a ’99 Infiniti G20, heading east on Jurupa, and he failed to navigate the curve at Pachappa Drive accurately.
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The young driver hit a stop sign and a light pole, wrecking the vehicle in the process. The police and firefighters acted as first responders, but Reed, a passenger in the Infiniti, already died from his injuries.
Mendoza sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was arrested by the police after medics attended to his wounds at the scene. Riverside Police Sergeant, Matt Lewis, said that the young man is facing criminal charges.
He is charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence. As of Sunday afternoon, Mendoza was still in custody at the Robert Presley Detention Center, with his bond set at $75 000.
The scene of the crash was closed for several hours while the police accident investigation team worked at the site. The accident was a single-vehicle crash, and no other car or person was involved.
Intoxicated driving is one of the leading causes of accidents. The gravity of the punishment given to a DUI driver depends on the circumstance of each case, but it covers jail time, a fine, and driver’s license suspension.
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