Jorge ErastoCruz, 33, a Lake Forest man, is facing two counts of murder, which were filed on Tuesday, Nov. 16, after he was involved in a suspected DUI crash on the 5 Freeway, in Irvine, that resulted in the death of two people early on Sunday.
ErastoCruz has been convicted of DUIs twice prior to this latest fatal incident. Perhaps that is why this time he was held in custom in lieu of bail of $1M.
ErastoCruz failed a field sobriety test at the crash scene, which occurred near the southbound lanes north of Yale Avenue, according to the CHP.
ErastoCruz slammed a GMC Yukon into the back of a Honda Civic, which for some reason had stopped on the right shoulder, at about 2 a.m.
One of the victims had been outside of the Civic and was trying to get back into the vehicle when the crash occurred. The impact flung that victim into traffic and a passing vehicle then struck the victim and killed him.
Four other people in the car were hospitalized but one of them, Alice Read, 25, of San Diego, died.
The man struck by another vehicle has not yet been identified by the O.C. Coroner.
ErastoCruz was arrested and booked on suspicion of DUI involving alcohol. The charges now include drunk driving, driving with a suspended or revoked license, and two counts of murder.
ErastoCruz pleaded guilty in 2019 to two prior cases of DUI. One DUI took place on Oct. 18, 2018, and the other happened on Dec. 30 of that same year.
