CHP accuses man of felony DUI after crashing into Watsonville home

 Posted on February 05, 2013 in Felony DUI

The California Highway Patrol believes that a 20-year-old Watsonville, California man was driving under the influence when police say he crashed his car into a Lakeview Road home Sunday. Authorities seek felony DUI charges against the man. The CHP says that a woman inside the Watsonville home suffered major injuries when a Ford Fusion crashed into the residence. The woman reportedly was trapped by a dresser in the home and the car that slammed into the home.

Emergency responders extricated the woman from the wreck and flown to a trauma center in Santa Clara County. Authorities say that the woman suffered major injuries.

Police say that the 20-year-old driver accused of slamming into the home had a blood alcohol reading above the California legal limit. The CHP says that the man measured around twice the legal limit, although details about the chemical test and the actual alleged blood alcohol level were not reported in a recent Santa Cruz Sentinel report.

The CHP says that the man's wife suffered minor injuries in the car accident. Two children (aged 1 and 2-years-old) reportedly were in the car, but neither child suffered injuries. Police believe that the young father left a Super Bowl party before losing control of his vehicle in Watsonville.

The man faces felony DUI and felony child endangerment charges after the wreck, which was reported around 8:00 Sunday evening in Watsonville. In addition to the felony charges, the CHP claims that the man was driving without insurance.

Law enforcement continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident. Authorities apparently hope to bring additional charges as law enforcement investigates where the man may have obtained alcohol. The 20-year-old accused of DUI is under the legal age to drink under California law.

The CHP says that they are looking for assistance from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control in investigating the potential sources for the alcohol. Generally, California law prohibits furnishing alcohol to a minor.

Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel, "CHP: Man crashes car with children, girlfriend into house after Super Bowl party, injuring Watsonville resident," Cathy Kelly, Feb. 4, 2013