CLEARLAKE — On Tuesday at 5:36 p.m., Clearlake Police Department (CPD) received a call of an injury traffic collision involving two vehicles on Old Highway 53 near Airport Road.
Officers responded to the scene and discovered one vehicle, a badly damaged red Toyota Tercel, containing three injured people.
The three occupants of the other vehicle, a moderately damaged dark colored Chevrolet Camaro, had all fled the scene on foot. Lakeshore Fire and Rescue utilized the Jaws of Life to free the three injured occupants from the red Toyota.
The injured included a 24-year-old woman from Clearlake (the driver), a 24-year-old man from Clearlake and another 24-year-old man from Clearlake.
All three occupants of the red Toyota were airlifted to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with life threatening injuries. Their names are not being released at this time.
Several witnesses provided officers with a description of the driver of the Camaro. Officers located the driver in the 15100 block of Woodside Drive, a short distance from the collision scene. The driver of the Camaro was identified as Daniel Hitchcock, 20, of Clearlake. Hitchcock was drinking and was subsequently arrested.
He was medically cleared at St. Helena Hospital Clearlake and later booked into the Lake County Jail. He was charged with a felony count of driving under the influence of alcohol causing bodily injury and a felony count of hit-and-run with bodily injury. Hitchcock”s two male passengers, both of Clearlake were also both located and found to have minor injuries.
One of Hitchcock”s passengers was treated and released from St. Helena Hospital Clearlake. The collision is still under investigation.
The Clearlake Police Department would like to thank all the witnesses who came forward with information, which ultimately led to Hitchcock”s arrest.
CPD stated, “Tragic incidents like this are completely avoidable. Please remember to use a sober designated driver when drinking alcoholic beverages or using other controlled substances.”
