LAKE COUNTY ? A Kelseyville man was arrested on Friday of suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter and drunken driving causing great bodily injury after a collision that killed a woman from Laytonville, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
Alejandro Arias, 28, has yet to be charged as CHP continues its investigation and he receives treatment at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for major injuries, said Steve Tanguay, public information officer for CHP.
Charlane Hill, 41, died as a result of the collision, Tanguay said. Hill”s two passengers went to the hospital with major injuries.
About 9:45 p.m. Friday, Arias was driving fast on Highway 29 south of Highway 175 Hopland near Lakeport, Tanguay said. Witnesses reported Arias drove through a red stoplight, lost control of his 1997 Ford Mustang, crossed into Hill”s northbound lane and hit the 1994 Buick Regal she was driving, Tanguay said.
“I believe when going through the traffic light he had to swerve and that”s when he lost control,” Tanguay said.
Both vehicles spun around and came to a stop facing the opposite way they were headed, with the Buick partially blocking both lanes, CHP reported.
Highway 29 between Highland Springs Road and Highway 175 was closed and traffic was diverted for about two hours and 10 minutes, Tanguay said.
Fire crews used the Jaws of Life to remove four people from the cars, Tanguay said. The Lake County Sheriff”s Coroner pronounced Hill dead at the scene.
Officers described the scene as “horrific,” Tanguay said.
CHP arrested Arias who was then transported by air ambulance to the hospital, CHP reported.
Hill”s right front passenger, Maria Hill, 40, of Clearlake, was air transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with major injuries. REACH air ambulance took Charlane Hill”s 10-year-old niece, who was in the back seat, to Children”s Hospital and Research Center in Oakland with major injuries. CHP is withholding her name because she”s a minor.
Tanguay was unsure of the condition of Maria Hill, the girl or Arias, he said. He didn”t know the Hills” relation, he said.
Because of the extensive car damage, law enforcement is unsure whether anyone was wearing seat belts, CHP reported.
Tanguay said drivers should only go the maximum speed limit that is safe in the condition they”re driving.
“We”ve had too many of these major accidents where people have been majorly injured or lost their lives,” Tanguay said.
Contact Katy Sweeny at ksweeny@record-bee.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
