On Wednesday, Nov. 5, Newark Police Department Traffic Officers took Newark resident, Raul Quintana, into custody for connection to a vehicle collision on Sunday, Aug. 31.
The two-vehicle collision involved a sedan and SUV at the intersection of Cedar Boulevard and Lafayette Avenue in Newark. Following the impact, the sedan struck a resident in the 5000 block of Lafayette Avenue.
Three occupants in the SUV sustained serious injuries, and the resident who was sitting in the family room of their home also sustained injuries. All injured individuals were taken to local hospitals and are continuing to recover from their injuries.
After investigating the incident, Newark Police Department Traffic Officers determined that 31-year-old, Raul Quintana, had been driving over 100mph prior to the collision with a blood concentration nearly three times the legal limit. Since Quintana sustained serious injuries from the collision, he was hospitalized after the incident and was not immediately arrested.
On Thursday, Oct. 30, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office filed formal charges against Quintana for felony DUI causing injury, along with related felony enhancements, and an arrest warrant was issued. Quintana was arrested without incident and booked to Santa Rita Jail.
“This serious collision was completely preventable,” said Police Chief Jonathan Arguello in a press release. “One person’s decision to drive under the influence nearly cost multiple lives. Impaired driving is never just a personal risk, it endangers everyone on the road. The Newark Police Department is committed to preventing these crashes through education, enforcement and community partnerships. We urge everyone to make the responsible choice: plan ahead, use a designated driver and never drive impaired.”
Anyone with information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact Traffic Officer John Kapu at jo*******@******ca.gov or 510.578.4941.
