SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – Two people died and a San Diego police sergeant was injured late Tuesday night in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 15 in the Scripps Ranch area.
The crash was reported at about 11:45 p.m. on the northbound side of I-15 near Miramar Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Witnesses said a red Ford Mustang was speeding and swerving when it struck the back of a Toyota Corolla, veered off the freeway and plummeted down an embankment. According to witnesses, the Mustang's driver, later identified by police as 37-year-old Jeffrey Brian Levi, walked away from the crash scene.
Driver of this Mustang accused of DUI and causing a crash that ended with two people killed in a burning car. The driver walked away from the scene and was arrested miles away. @10News pic.twitter.com/F0HM6u3NaV
— Mimi Elkalla (@10NewsMimi) January 3, 2018
The Corolla, which spun out after being hit, was left disabled in the fast lane when it was struck by a vehicle driven by an SDPD sergeant, causing it to roll over several times before bursting into flames and trapping three people inside.
As the sergeant got out of his vehicle, several Good Samaritans tried to help the three people in the burning car. However, they were only able to pull the female driver from the wreckage.
The sergeant and the woman were rushed to the hospital with injuries of unknown severity, but the two other victims -- believed to be the woman's brother and boyfriend -- were declared dead at the scene.
With the help of a police helicopter, Levi was located several miles away in Mira Mesa and arrested in connection with the crash.
Levi was booked into San Diego Central Jail on the following charges:
-- Suspicion of first-degree murder
-- DUI resulting in bodily injury
-- DUI: bodily injury
-- Gross vehicular manslaughter
-- Great bodily injury
-- Hit-and-run causing death/injury
Authorities shut down all northbound I-15 lanes for several hours, leaving the HOV lanes open for all drivers but causing a major traffic backup during the height of the morning commute.
Shortly after 9:10 a.m., all lanes were cleared and reopened.
