Costa Mesa man charged with vehicular manslaughter and DUI in fatal crash on 55 Freeway

A Costa Mesa man has been charged with vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and other felonies in connection with a collision in December that killed another driver on the 55 Freeway, court documents show.

Bernardo Alvarez Zalpa, 49, was charged May 1 with one felony count each of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, hit-and-run with serious injury, driving under the influence causing injury, and driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol level exceeding the legal limit, records show.

He also faces sentencing enhancement allegations of fleeing the scene and inflicting great bodily injury.

Zalpa has not yet entered a plea.

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

On Dec. 4, a Honda Accord traveling south in the fast lane on the 55 Freeway just north of Del Mar Avenue in Costa Mesa 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 crash caused the 4Runner to overturn and ejected the driver, Jose Olguin, 48, of Orange, who was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

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

The driver of the Mini Cooper was uninjured, authorities said.

Zalpa was booked into Orange County’s Theo Lacy jail with bail set at $100,000, according to jail records. He is scheduled to appear in court May 17, records show.

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