On Sunday, July 26th, the California Highway Patrol arrested and charged a 15-year-old male driver with suspicion of driving under the influence and crashing his vehicle in the rural area east of Merced, California. The accident injured Francisco Miranda, an 18-year-old resident of Planada.
According to the CHP Officer Eric Zuniga, the collision happened at approximately 4:30 p.m. near East Gerard Avenue and South Arboleda Drive. The suspect drove a Ford Explorer eastbound on Gerrad at top speed and veered off the roadway into the southbound shoulder.
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The Ford then overturned, collided with a power pole and knocked down power lines. The impact left Miranda, a passenger in the wrecked car with severe injuries, and medics used a helicopter to convey him to an area hospital in Modesto for treatment.
Zuniga stated in the car accident report that they placed the teenage driver under arrest and they also charged him with driving without a license. Officers took the suspect to Mercy Medical Center to treat minor wounds and then released him to his parents. They could not remand the teen at the juvenile hall because they declined bookings due to COVID-19.
The accident affected a section of East Gerrad, and the Pacific Gas and Electric Company closed it to allow their technicians to carry out repairs on the power pole. Driving under the influence is a severe offense in California, and offenders face time in jail, payment of a fine, driver’s license revocation, and rehabilitation in an alcohol treatment facility.
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