Driver arrested in fatal hit-and-run crash on 55 Freeway in Costa Mesa; DUI suspected

One person died and a Costa Mesa man was arrested after a hit-and-run crash involving three vehicles Tuesday night on the 55 Freeway in Costa Mesa.

A Honda Accord traveling south in the fast lane on the 55 just north of Del Mar Avenue crossed all lanes of traffic just after 6 p.m. and collided with a Mini Cooper in the No. 4 lane, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The Accord continued moving to the right and collided with a Toyota 4Runner on the Del Mar Avenue offramp, the CHP said.

The crashed caused the 4Runner to overturn and its driver to be ejected.

The Accord then turned back into the general lanes of traffic and continued south on the 55 before exiting at Victoria Street, the CHP said.

The driver of the 4Runner was pronounced dead at the scene. The Orange County coroner’s office identified him as Jose Olguin, 48, of Orange. According to a CHP report, Olguin wasn’t wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision. The cause of his death has not yet been determined.

Costa Mesa police detained the Accord driver, Bernardo Alvarez Zalpa, 49, who was later arrested by the CHP on suspicion of driving under the influence and hit-and-run, CHP spokesman Florentino Olivera said.

Zalpa was booked into Orange County Jail with bail set at $100,000. He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

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UPDATES:

2 p.m.: This article was updated with the suspect’s identity.

This article was originally published at 10:30 a.m.