LAKE COUNTY ? Law enforcement arrested a man on suspicion of felony drunken driving after he crossed over double yellow lines and hit two vehicles about 12:55 p.m. Tuesday on the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff, California Highway Patrol (CHP) stated.
Barton West, 56, of Lucerne, was booked into the Lake County Jail Wednesday.
Fire crews extricated West and Jack Green, 84, of Nice, who was in the second car West hit, and transported them by air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, Steve Tanguay, CHP public information officer said.
CHP was unaware of the their health status.
Green had major injuries including a possible head injury, said firefighter paramedic Brian Hajik of the Lakeport Fire Protection District.
Hajik didn”t know Green”s status.
West was driving west in his 1985 Toyota Tercel on the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff north of Lakeport approaching Green in his 2003 Ford Focus, who was behind Salvador Velazquez, 40, of Nice, both driving east, Tanguay said.
West crossed into the eastbound lane, sideswiped Velazquez”s 2000 Dodge Caravan, then smashed into the left front end of Green”s Focus.
The Tercel and Focus came to a stop partially blocking the roadway.
“Due to West driving under the influence of alcohol, he allowed his vehicle to cross over the double yellow lines and enter the eastbound lane of traffic ahead of Velazquez,” Tanguay stated in a press release.
A firefighter got a piece of glass in his eye while working at the collision and had it removed at Sutter Lakeside Hospital and is doing fine, Hajik said. West is scheduled to appear today at the Lake County Superior Court.
Contact Katy Sweeny at ksweeny@record-bee.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
