The tragic aftermath of a suspected DUI incident on SR-163 in Kearny Mesa continues to unfold as authorities have identified the four victims who lost their lives in the early hours of last Friday. The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office released the names of the deceased: Faruk Cetin, 27; Mahsun Dursun, 23; Abdurrezak Hizmali, 27; and Baris Savas, 25. According to reports from NBC San Diego, the men were traveling in a Toyota Prius when it was rear-ended by a Toyota Tacoma. This resulted in the Prius losing control and crashing, which ejected all occupants.
In a devastating unfolding of events, the driver behind the wheel of a second Prius then encountered the accident scene and also crashed, as stated by CHP public-affairs Officer Salvador Castro. The drivers of both the Tacoma and the second Prius, identified as 24-year-old Aleim Garcia Alavez and 32-year-old Edward Frederick Poss respectively, were arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and gross vehicular manslaughter. Per the details shared by The San Diego Union-Tribune, footage from the scene showed a third vehicle that appeared badly damaged.
An electronic witness, in the form of an Apple device, was key to alerting rescue personnel about the accident, as noted in the published press releases from the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office. The device's notification to 9-1-1 enabled a timely response to the area of southbound SR 163, south of ISR 805. Cetin and Dursun were pronounced dead at the scene. At the same time, Hizmali and Savas were transported to Sharp Memorial Hospital, where they were later pronounced dead, succumbing to multiple blunt-force injuries.
The collision caused significant disruption to the morning commute, as reported by Hoodline. SR-163, a main artery into downtown San Diego, remained closed until late morning. The roadway was eventually reopened, but the repercussions of these incidents continue to resonate within the community, as the investigation into the exact circumstances of the crash is still ongoing.
