News, Santa Monica, 405 Freeway

405 Freeway Wrong-Way Crash Driver Arrested On Suspicion Of DUI

Posted Jun. 9, 2014, 9:11 am

Mirror Staff

A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol on Sunday after his car crashed into another vehicle while going north on the southbound San Diego (405) Freeway in Westchester, injuring himself and four others.

It happened at 2:43 a.m. at Howard Hughes Parkway, two minutes after authorities received a report of a wrong-way vehicle, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The arrested driver was identified as Matthew Fisher of Santa Monica, who suffered moderate injuries in the crash.

A passenger in Fisher's 2001 Honda, 19-year-old Santa Monica resident Tyler Raifsnider, also suffered moderate injuries, the CHP reported.

Both were taken to a hospital for treatment.

Linda Awed, 19, of Whittier, who was driving the 1992 Nissan that was struck by the Honda, and two 20-year-old passengers, Milesha Morrison of Pullman, Wash., and Fabian Rodriguez of Los Angeles were also taken to a hospital, according to the CHP.

Awed and Morrison suffered moderate injuries, officials said.

No details were available about Rodriguez's injuries.

The CHP issued a SigAlert shutting down all lanes of the freeway at Howard Hughes Parkway following the crash.