UPDATED: Man charged with DUI, murder, after fiery wreck that killed woman, 28

UPDATED: Tuesday, Apr. 10, 9 p.m.

SEE ORIGINAL STORY AND PHOTOS BELOW

FRENCH VALLEY — An allegedly intoxicated man who officials say ran a red light and plowed broadside into a car was briefly hospitalized and then arrested Sunday, April 8. The DUI-related accident caused a fiery, four-vehicle, chain-reaction accident that killed a Winchester woman. The accused drunk driver remains in custody on $1 million bail.

Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s officials later identified 27-year-old, Ashley Alcaraz as the victim killed in the crash. According to CHP, she was killed instantly in the collision that injured three people, including the alleged suspect who officials identified yesterday as Elvis Eugene Tate, 59, of Winchester.

Emergency first responders rushed to the scene of the wreck shortly after 5:30 p.m., after receiving multiple 911 calls reporting the crash. Callers reported one of the vehicles had possibly caught fire and that there were multiple people injured at the scene.

When officials arrived they found four vehicles with various degrees of damage; including a burgundy Mitsubishi Gallant and grey Honda coupe – both of which sustained major front-end damage. A light-colored Toyota pickup truck with minor front-end damage and a light-colored Fiat with minor damage were nearby.

Medical personnel spent about 15 minutes trying to revive Alcaraz; however, she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased at 6:07 p.m.

During a subsequent investigation CHP determined just before the accident, Tate had been driving a burgundy 2003 Mitsubishi Galant northbound on Winchester Road approaching a red stop light at Benton Road. At the same time, Alcaraz was in a 2016 Honda Civic making a left turn on a green light, from westbound Benton Road to southbound Winchester Road.

Tate failed failed to stop for the red traffic signal and entered the intersection at a stated speed of 45 to 50 mph, and the front of his Mitsubishi smashed into the driver’s side front door of Alcaraz’ Honda.

Alcaraz was killed instantly and her passenger, Anthony L Lewis III, 28, of Winchester, sustained major injuries. Officials did not specify how or if Alcaraz and Lewis were related nor did they specify the nature or extent of the man’s injuries.

After the initial collision, the Mitsubishi and Honda continued out-of-control and struck two additional vehicles that were stopped at the red light in the southbound lanes of Winchester Road at Benton Road. The drivers of those vehicles were treated on-scene and released, according to CHP.

After the accident Tate was treated at an area hospital for moderate injuries and he was later booked into Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta on suspicion of murder and DUI resulting in great bodily injury or death. He has since been transferred to Robert Presley Detention Center in Murrieta and is scheduled to be arraigned at Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, Apr. 11.

Officers from CHP’s Temecula Area Station is conducting this traffic collision investigation and their investigation is ongoing.

Anyone who witnessed this collision and has not yet provided a witness statement is encouraged to contact Temecula CHP at (951) 506-2000. Callers can refer to incident file number 01122 and can remain anonymous.

 

ORIGINAL STORY: One dead, three injured after fiery, 4-car wreck

FRENCH VALLEY — Officials are investigating a fiery, four vehicle wreck that left one person dead and three others injured earlier this evening. The deadly wreck happened southwest of the French Valley Village Center, at the intersection of Winchester and Benton Roads.

Emergency first responders were dispatched to the scene of the fatal accident shortly after 5:30 p.m., after receiving multiple 911 calls reporting the crash. Callers reported one of the vehicles had possibly caught fire and that there were multiple people injured at the scene.

Twenty Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire and Murrieta Fire Protection District firefighters from five engine companies and one truck company responded to the fiery wreck, Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire spokesperson April Newman explained in an incident report. Three American Medical Response ground ambulances also responded to the scene.

Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Southwest Station were first to arrive at the scene and found a burgundy Mitsubishi Gallant and grey Honda coupe; both of which sustained major front-end damage.

The Honda came to rest north of the intersection, facing the wrong direction in the number two lane of southbound 79, and the Mitsubishi came to rest facing southwest in the southbound number two lane of traffic on Winchester Road.

Officials also located a light-colored Toyota pickup truck with minor front-end damage and a light-colored Fiat along the southbound side of Hwy 79.

Deputies immediately began assessing those injured in the crash and directing traffic around the wrecked vehicles as fire officials began arriving.

Officials reported finding a three vehicle traffic collision with a total of four people injured. One victim succumbed to their injuries and was pronounced at the scene. Two other victims were eventually transported by ground ambulance to an area hospital, according to Newman, who described their injuries as moderate. The fourth victim was evaluated by paramedics and declined further treatment at the scene.

During their initial on-scene accident investigation, officials called for the closure of the intersection and all traffic was diverted off Highway 79 to other surrounding roads. While deputies assisted with traffic control, CHP investigated the cause of the accident and neither agency has released any details regarding the accident.

One witness and area resident Fred, who wanted to only be identified by his first name, said he was traveling northbound on Winchester Road when he “caught the tail-end of the accident” and saw “a bunch of vehicles scattering around.”

Fred described that in the moments immediately after the accident, other motorists and witnesses came to the aid and comfort of those injured in the crash and he later watched as officials spent about 15 minutes trying to revive a female occupant from one of the wrecked cars.

“Unfortunately, she didn’t make it,” Fred explained, motioning toward the woman’s body, which lay covered with a grey blanket along the side of Winchester Road waiting for coroner’s officials to arrive and take custody of her body.

All three vehicles were later towed from the scene of the fatal wreck.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 46, recently moved to Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.