Kern County Sheriff’s Office

Erwin De La Pena charged by Kern County Sheriff’s deputies with suspicion of DUI and failing to yield the right of way.

The Sheriff’s Office said the driver of the third vehicle, the Expedition, suffered minor injuries.

From KERN Radio

Kern County Sheriff’s deputies in Wasco arrested a 50-year-old man on suspicion of driving under the influence after a crash on Highway 43 left a woman dead and another man injured.

Deputies responded to a 7:55 p.m. report Wednesday of an injury traffic collision at Hwy. 43 and Prospect Avenue in Wasco.

When deputies arrived they determined three vehicles had been involved in the collision, a Honda Civic, a Ford Ranger, and a Ford Expedition. Deputies located an adult female in the roadway. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Ford Expedition, an adult male in his 20s, was transported to Kern Medical for the treatment of minor injuries.

A preliminary investigation determined that the Ford Ranger being driven by 50-year-old Erwin De La Pena turned north onto Highway 43 into the path of the Honda Civic being driven by the deceased female, who had been southbound on Hwy. 43. The driver of the Ford Expedition, which had also been southbound on Hwy. 43, then collided with the Honda Civic.  MORE