Drunk Driving Ticket Issued Aug. 1 : Suspect in Fatal Crash Had Prior Arrest

A Newhall man arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and felony manslaughter after four people were killed and three others injured in a head-on collision in Sylmar on Sunday was arrested for drunk driving three weeks ago, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesman said Monday.

A police search of the suspect’s car following Sunday’s accident found a ticket dated Aug. 1 citing Andres Flores, 25, for drunk driving, said Lt. Alan Kerstein. Flores was scheduled to appear in Los Angeles Municipal Court in Newhall on Sept. 3, Kerstein said.

The accident, which occurred about 5 p.m., claimed the lives of a Sylmar couple, Arthur Harrison, 37, and Elizabeth Harrison, 28, who were driving with their two sons on San Fernando Road, Kerstein said.

The boys received extensive injuries, the lieutenant said. Steven Harrison, 2, was in critical condition Monday at Holy Cross Hospital. Truson Harrison, 7, was also critically injured, but his condition was improving Monday at Children’s Hospital.

Also killed in the crash were Flores’ passengers, Jose Luis Flores, 20, and Guillermo Montoya, 36, who lived at the same Newhall address as Flores.

Andres Flores had been heading west on San Fernando Road when his Chevrolet Impala crashed into the Harrisons’ eastbound station wagon. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital with internal injuries and a broken collarbone.

Kerstein said Flores was placed under 24-hour police guard at the hospital and, upon his release, he will face four counts of felony manslaughter, six counts of felony drunk driving and one count of driving without a license.

Results are pending on a a blood alcohol test given to Flores after the accident.

Witnesses told police that Flores had been driving “erratically and recklessly,” Kerstein said.

“One witness said she was going about 40-45 m.p.h. and saw this guy going really fast behind her,” Kerstein said. “She was so scared that she pulled over and stopped.” As the car sped by, the woman said, it crossed over the double yellow line and crashed into the station wagon.