A National City man is facing serious charges months after a deadly crash in Chula Vista that left two seniors dead and two women fighting for their lives. On Thursday, authorities arrested 41-year-old Henry Lagliva on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and reckless driving in connection with the August wreck. After an investigation that stretched nearly four months, Lagliva was booked into San Diego Central Jail, where he is being held on $250,000 bail.
The crash happened at the intersection of Telegraph Canyon Road and Apache Drive, where a Subaru Forester overturned and trapped four people inside. Two men later died, and two women were rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Crash Details
The collision unfolded around 7:45 p.m. on Aug. 11 when a red Ford Mustang traveling west on Telegraph Canyon Road hit a Subaru Forester that was turning north onto Apache Drive, causing the Subaru to flip onto its side and pin everyone inside, according to the Times of San Diego. Fire crews used hydraulic tools to cut into the wreck and free the four occupants.
The two men who later died were identified as 76-year-old Juanito Muyco and 75-year-old Michael Baril by NBC 7 San Diego. The SUV's two backseat passengers, both women in their 60s, were taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Arrest And Charges
According to The San Diego Union‑Tribune, investigators arrested Lagliva at his workplace on Thursday. He was then booked into San Diego Central Jail and is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and reckless driving, the paper reports.
Chula Vista police told the Union‑Tribune that the Mustang driver stayed at the scene after the crash and cooperated with officers. The arrest followed months of work by the department's traffic bureau in coordination with a San Diego regional task force, which handled the technical side of the crash investigation.
Investigation And What's Next
“Details about what caused the initial crash or what ultimately led investigators to arresting Lagliva were not immediately available,” The San Diego Union‑Tribune reports. Prosecutors had not set an arraignment date as of Thursday. The case is expected to move through San Diego County courts as officials review crash reconstruction findings and other evidence gathered during the probe.
Legal Implications
Under California law, vehicular manslaughter can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on whether prosecutors can show gross negligence. The distinctions and required elements are outlined in Penal Code Section 192.
Reckless driving, defined in Vehicle Code 23103, is generally prosecuted as a misdemeanor punishable by county jail time or fines. Penalties can increase if the conduct is found to have caused serious injury.
Earlier Coverage
Hoodline first reported on the Aug. 11 crash and its immediate aftermath.
