A 23-year-old Huntington Beach man is facing charges his drunk driving arrest in the aftermath of a fatal traffic accident early Saturday.
According to Lt. Scott Watson of the Garden Grove Police Department, the incident took place at 1:52 a.m. on Magnolia Street south of Garden Grove Boulevard.
On arrival, police and fire units found that a car had struck a three in the center median on Magnolia. The two occupants of the vehicle were taken to separate hospitals.
The victim, later identified as Joyce Rivera, 22, of Huntington Beach, had been sitting in the front passenger seat. She died at UCI Medical Center in Orange.
The driver, identified by police as Vicente Ramirez-Garcia, was arrested for drunk driving, vehicular manslaughter and driving without a driver’s license. He was released into police custody after being treated. He was booked into Orange County Jail.
Police believe the vehicle was traveling south on Magnolia when it missed the curve in the roadway, spun out of control and struck the tree. “Speed and alcohol appear to be factors in the collision,” according to Lt. Watson.
Any witnesses to the collision are asked to call Investigator Jason Perkins at (714) 741-8203.
