PALA (CNS) - Authorities publicly identified Thursday a 62-year-old man killed near the Rancho Monserate Country Club in a head-on collision that left two other motorists injured and a suspected drunken driver facing charges.
Juan Corza Gonzalez of Escondido died at the scene of the three-vehicle crash on a curving stretch of Old Highway 395 in the Pala area shortly before 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to the California Highway Patrol and the county Medical Examiner's Office.
A northbound 2012 Chevrolet Suburban - allegedly driven by 34-year-old Garrett James Gelrud of Vista, veered across a set of double yellow lines on West Lilac Road and slammed into the blue 2015 Nissan Versa Gonzalez was driving, authorities said.
Following the fatal collision, a southbound 2014 Toyota Prius crashed into the back of the victim's Versa, CHP public-affairs Officer Chris Parent said.
Paramedics took its driver and passenger to a hospital to be treated for minor injuries.
Gelrud allegedly ran off as emergency crews were en route, Parent said.
He was later taken into custody at a gas station on state Route 76, about a mile north of where the crash occurred.
Gelrud has since been booked into county jail in Vista on suspicion of murder, hit-and-run, and felony drunken driving. He was being held without bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Friday afternoon.