1 Killed, Another Injured in Multi-Vehicle Crash Involving DUI Driver

A motorist was killed and at least one other person was injured in a multi-vehicle collision involving seven vehicles Wednesday just east of Riverside that appeared to be the result of an erratic, DUI driver

The crash occurred about 4:30 p.m. on Alessandro Boulevard, near Meridian Parkway and Interstate 215, in the unincorporated area between Riverside and Moreno Valley that is under the jurisdiction of the California Highway Patrol.

According to the agency, a BMW sedan collided with a Chevrolet Impala on eastbound Alessandro Boulevard during what witnesses described as a street racing contest.

The driver, identified as Moreno Valley resident Anthony Lopez, fled the scene before CHP officers and Riverside County sheriff's deputies arrived, according to reports from the scene. He is now in custody.

Several other vehicles were involved in the crash, though damage to those cars reportedly wasn't serious, and the occupants weren't injured.

Paramedics pronounced one victim, a 62-year-old man, dead at the scene. Another person was transported to Riverside University Medical Center in Moreno Valley for treatment of minor injuries, authorities said.

Eastbound Alessandro Boulevard was shut down for nearly three hours while the CHP conducted a preliminary investigation and the wreckage was cleared.