Wrong-Way Driver Arrested for DUI in 14 Freeway Pile-Up

[savalez]

AGUA DULCE, Calif. (KTLA) — A wrong-way driver who caused a pile-up on the 14 Freeway was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence on Tuesday, police said.
14-crash

Crash on 14 Freeway near Escondido Canyon Road

Rick Allen Walker, 54, of Canyon County, was suspected of being under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the crash, according to the CHP.

Walker was subsequently arrested, and was booked around 2 a.m. on Tuesday, records showed.

He was being held on $100,000 bail.

The crash happened around 4:35 p.m. on Monday in on the northbound 14, just south of Escondido Canyon Road.

Read more: http://ktla.com/2013/06/18/wrong-way-crash-shuts-down-northbound-14-freeway/#ixzz2WgcTtpXj

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. That is truly awful. I hope they throw the book at him.

After seeing this picture, I am surprised that nobody died outright. The wreckage is appalling.

[pinto]

2. Ah geez.

A total of 13 people were injured, three of them critically. The critical patients were airlifted to Antelope Valley Hospital.

Read more: http://ktla.com/2013/06/18/wrong-way-crash-shuts-down-northbound-14-freeway/#ixzz2WgjGhR7r

[Cleita]

3. I think I came across him when I was coming home from a job that morning in Arroyo

Grande (less than 200 miles north of Agua Dulce). He drove down the middle of the road slowly, suddenly cut out onto a side road and u-turned right in front of me. I stopped and let him have the right of way. Then he cut in front of a car that was impatient and passed me nearly running into him. That caused him to turn into a field that he thought was a road but it was just a dirt bank. This enabled me to get past him. I was hoping he intended to stop awhile on the bank of the road to sober up. If he didn't, he would have had time with a few saloon stops to get to the site of the accident on the 14 and Escondido Road at that time. I almost pulled up next to him to ask him if he needed help and then thought better of it since I'm a small, elderly woman. I hoped someone else on the road would.

Actually, I doubt it was the same person, but damn, the person I encountered was driving a white Dodge pickup truck with no visible license. What a coincidence!

[savalez]

4. Yikes.

Maybe you have some important info there. I mean if he was getting kicks out of going the wrong way... Do you think you should report that?

[Cleita]

5. I don't have enough information other than that the truck seems to be the same.

I doubt it was the same person although, when you come in contact with erratic drivers, what are you supposed to do? The last I saw of him he had stopped on the side of the road. There were no incidents up here.

[savalez]

7. Yeah.

It probably wasn't but you never know. Apparently the guy was high out of his mind.