A late-night head-on crash on Highway 1 near Moss Landing left one driver dead and several others injured, and deputies say a drone helped them track down the San Jose man they believe was behind the wheel of a fleeing BMW.
The collision happened around 12:45 AM last Saturday, when a northbound BMW crossed into the southbound lane and slammed into an SUV, according to KSBW. Two people who had been in the BMW ran from the scene before deputies could question them.
KSBW reports the BMW carried three men from San Jose: a 25-year-old driver, a 24-year-old passenger and a third male. The driver and one passenger suffered major injuries, while the third occupant was described as moderately hurt. The driver of the SUV was killed at the scene.
Deputies later found two injured men hiding near a pond in a field by Highway 1 and Struve Road. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office deployed a drone during the search, which helped deputies locate the pair, according to The Mercury News.
One of the men, identified by authorities as the San Jose resident suspected of driving the BMW, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, hit-and-run and driving under the influence, The Mercury News reported. Investigators said all three occupants of the BMW were taken to local hospitals as the crash investigation continues.
Monterey County coroner’s investigators later identified the SUV victim as 22-year-old Bryan Ortiz of Castroville, and authorities said his family has been notified. Officials have described the BMW occupants’ injuries as ranging from major to moderate, according to local reporting.
Another deadly crash hours earlier
Less than five hours before the Highway 1 wreck, the same area saw another fatal crash. The California Highway Patrol said a solo-vehicle collision reported around 8 p.m. on April 3 on Meridian Road, northeast of Castroville, killed a 16-year-old and injured two other juveniles. A 37-year-old Castroville man was arrested on suspicion of DUI, manslaughter and child endangerment, as detailed by The Mercury News.
How deputies used drones in the search
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office maintains a drone unit that deputies use for searches, scene documentation and evidence collection. The department’s drone-team page describes aerial and thermal capabilities designed to speed up searches and reduce risk to personnel, and those tools were cited by officials in explaining how they located the men who fled the Moss Landing crash, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities emphasize that the arrest is an allegation, and prosecutors will review the case to decide whether to file formal charges. CHP and local investigators are still working both crashes and have asked anyone with information to contact them as they piece together what happened.
