A 21-year-old woman allegedly driving under the influence slammed into the rear of a tow truck on the 15 Freeway in Lake Elsinore, fatally injuring her front-seat passenger, authorities said.
Tudda Teeanna Tran of Lake Elsinore is suspected of causing the death of 21-year-old Melissa Lopez of Lake Elsinore just after 3 a.m. Monday, Sept. 2, on the southbound 15, just south of Central Avenue, the California Highway Patrol said.
Mike Lassig, a CHP officer and spokesman, said that Tran was at the wheel of a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze going more than 70 mph in the slow lane when she approached a slower-moving 2019 Ford flatbed tow truck just ahead of her.
“The (suspect) was traveling too fast and was unable to avoid the rear of the Ford tow truck,” Lassig said. “The Cruze’s front end collided with the rear of the Ford. The rear-end collision caused the Cruze’s front-seat passenger … to suffer fatal injuries.”
Tran was seriously injured and taken to a hospital for treatment, while the operator of the tow truck was uninjured.
She was technically placed under arrest on suspicion of DUI gross vehicular manslaughter and is under watch by law enforcement at the hospital.
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