.jpg)
In Newport Beach, a man was arrested and charged with DUI after crashing into a local business. He was arrested due to suspicion of drunk driving. His car rammed into a wedding photo studio along the Pacific Coast Highway.
Oscar Hugo Vargas, a 31-year-old driver, drove a Honda Civic down the Pacific Coast Highway along the 2700 block. He then allegedly lost control of the car and plowed into the photography shop and studio of Jennifer Brennan. This is according to Sergeant Rachel Johnson of the Newport Beach Police Studio. The studio is located on the West Coast Highway, next door to the Rusty Pelican restaurant. The crash only affected the photography studio and none of the other neighboring businesses.
The incident was reported to the police around 5:30 in the morning. Passengers who were in the car along with Vargas were uninjured. By the time the police arrived on the scene, all of the passengers were out of the car.
The Newport Beach Fire Department was called to report to the scene of the crash. Additionally, the building inspector of the city was paged to make a visit as well. It was likely that the inspector was called in to check on the structural stability of the studio and to begin estimating the full extent of damages so that it can be added to the police reports.
The amount of damage caused by the collision has not been released as of yet. It is also unclear as to whether the driver experienced any injuries when he crashed into the photo studio.
The reports say that the driver was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. There have been no reports released from the police department to say whether Vargas was given a DUI test on the scene or what his blood alcohol content level was.
There are currently more than 211,000 licensed drivers in the state of California, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. There are motor vehicle crashes in excess of 30,000 every year. While traffic crashes are down from several years ago, they are still a leading cause of death as well as property damage.
What took place with Vargas and the photo studio did not cause any fatalities, but it did result in a significant amount of property damage. Investigations are still taking place to learn why Vargas crashed into the photo studio and determine the extent of the damage.
There have been no reports as to whether the driver or the passengers have been injured, but all have been checked out. It is unclear as to whether the passengers fled the scene. It is likely that the police will obtain witness statements in order to help with the investigation.
If you or a loved one have been arrested, speaking with a DUI lawyer in Newport Beach is probably in your best interest. You can obtain a free confidential case evaluation from an experienced lawyer by calling (844) 241-1221 today.
