2 Die in Separate Auto Accidents

Two men were killed early Sunday in separate car accidents, one of which involved a Thousand Oaks sheriff’s patrol car responding to another unrelated crash, officials said.

The first accident occurred about 12:20 a.m. Sunday. Paul Gittings, a 21-year-old Navy airman stationed at Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego, was killed.

A native of Oklahoma, Gittings was in the back seat of a car driven by Charles Richwine, another 21-year-old airman from Miramar, a deputy coroner said. A second passenger, Robert Sponseller, 21, suffered major injuries in the crash and was listed in serious condition at St. John’s Medical Center in Oxnard.

Richwine was driving along Potrero Road near Camarillo when he lost control of his Pontiac, which ran up an embankment and overturned, the California Highway Patrol said.

Richwine was arrested on suspicion of felony drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter. He was released Sunday on his own recognizance and ordered to return for a May 27 arraignment, a Ventura County Jail commander said.

About two hours later, Deputy Brad Guzzard was responding to a traffic accident when his car was broadsided by a vehicle at Westlake Boulevard and Hampshire Road in Thousand Oaks.

Angel Eduardo Melendez Martinez, 25, of Thousand Oaks was thrown from the car and killed. He was a day laborer and is survived by his parents, who live in Mexico. His two passengers were injured, but further information was unavailable Sunday.

Guzzard was treated for minor injuries and released.