A late Sunday night walk turned deadly on South Grand Avenue when a 48-year-old Lake Elsinore man, identified as Benjamin Douglass, was struck and killed by an alleged drunk driver, authorities said. The driver, a 51-year-old man from Murrieta, was taken to a nearby hospital and later arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor driving under the influence.
What investigators say
According to CBS News Los Angeles, the crash happened at about 9:35 p.m. A 2022 Toyota RAV4 was traveling south on Grand Avenue near Marvella Lane when it struck Douglass as he walked in the southbound lane, investigators with the CHP Temecula office said.
CHP investigators estimated the vehicle’s speed at about 45 miles per hour. Cal Fire paramedics responded to the scene and pronounced Douglass dead there, according to the same report.
Victim identification
The Riverside County Coroner's Office identified the victim as 48-year-old Benjamin Douglass. The office listed the time of injury as 9:35 p.m. and the time of death as 9:47 p.m., at South Grand Avenue about 75 feet north of Marvella Lane, in its press release. The coroner’s bulletin notes that next of kin were notified.
Driver, hospital stay and arrest
CHP officials said the driver, described as a 51-year-old Murrieta man, did not immediately report any injuries but was still taken to a nearby hospital for medical clearance. He was not released until about 3:40 a.m. the following morning, Patch reported.
Officers then conducted field sobriety tests and determined the man had been driving while intoxicated, according to CHP. He was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI, and the CHP Temecula area office is leading what officials describe as an active collision investigation.
Legal implications
CHP’s initial arrest was for misdemeanor DUI, but that is only the starting point. Prosecutors could pursue additional charges depending on what investigators uncover. Under state law, a death that results from intoxicated driving can be charged as vehicular manslaughter or gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, with penalties and elements detailed in the California Penal Code.
Whether any charges are upgraded will hinge on the evidence, including negligence, speed, toxicology results and any prior convictions, according to those legal guidelines.
Why this matters
Pedestrian fatalities remain a major safety concern nationwide. Drivers struck and killed roughly 7,100 people walking in 2024, and alcohol figures prominently in many of those crashes, the Governors Highway Safety Association found.
Nighttime collisions and crashes on roads without sidewalks are common patterns in these cases, a combination that makes it harder for local agencies to prevent and police deadly incidents like the one on South Grand Avenue.
What’s next
The CHP Temecula office is handling the investigation and has not released further booking details. Officials are asking anyone with information about the crash to contact investigators.
This story will be updated when the Riverside County Coroner or CHP provide additional findings or when the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office announces any charging decisions.
