A 23-year-old Hollister man died in a single-vehicle accident early Friday morning, and the California Highway Patrol arrested the 19-year-old driver on suspicion of driving under the influence.
The accident occurred around 3 a.m. The female driver lost control of a 2009 Hyundai Sonata and crashed into a light pole, said CHP Officer Brian Rayner. The male passenger died at the scene before responders arrived, he said.
The CHP did not have identities of either the driver or victim, but Rayner noted they’re residents of Hollister. A detective with the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office, which is the coroner, could not be reached immediately to confirm the victim’s identity.
The CHP arrested the driver on suspicion of DUI and gross vehicular manslaughter, after she had been transported to Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital for treatment.
It appears as though the vehicle was on Union Road near the intersection when the accident occurred, but the CHP report did not include additional details about the car’s direction at the time.
The car was severely damaged on the front right side and all along the right side, Rayner said.
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