Two people were killed, two injured and the driver arrested on felony charges following an early morning driving under the influence crash on Monday, Jan. 1. The incident occurred on Lake Road, east of Roberts Ferry Road near the Turlock Lake Recreation Area. Two Turlock residents died of injuries at the scene, an Oakdale woman was hospitalized with major injuries and the driver, a 23-year-old man from La Grange, had minor injuries, according to the California Highway Patrol.
At about 3:45 a.m. on Jan. 1, the CHP received notification of a traffic collision on Lake Road, east of Roberts Ferry Road. Emergency personnel arriving on scene located an overturned 2017 Toyota sedan off the south roadway edge.
The two rear occupants were thrown from the vehicle and both succumbed to their injuries at the scene, noted the CHP report. They were identified Tuesday, Jan. 2 by the Stanislaus County Coroner’s Office as Danny Reyes, 28, of Turlock and Leilani Romayor-Bettencourt, 23, of Turlock.
The right front passenger, identified as Amber Sauls, 21, of Oakdale was taken to Doctors Medical Center by ground ambulance with major injuries, according to the CHP report.
The driver of the Toyota, identified as Isaac Urbeana, 23, of La Grange, sustained minor injuries and was also taken to Doctors Medical Center.
“Our preliminary investigation indicates Urbeana was traveling westbound on Lake Road, east of Roberts Ferry Road, approaching a right bend in the roadway,” noted CHP investigating officer A. Bond in the report. “Urbeana was unable to safely negotiate the bend, allowing the Toyota to leave the south road edge before overturning.”
Both rear passengers, authorities said, were not wearing seat belts at the time of the collision and were ejected from the Toyota.
Urbeana was contacted by officers on scene and was determined to be under the influence of alcohol. He was placed under arrest by the CHP for felony DUI felony gross vehicular manslaughter.
As of Tuesday, he remained in the Stanislaus County Jail on $500,000 bail.
Local fire and ambulance crews responded to the scene along with the California Highway Patrol.
