A man suspected of DUI and driving without a license was arrested following a crash that left a motorcyclist dead in Orange County Wednesday night.
Police were sent to the area of Orangethorpe Avenue and Gilbert Street regarding a traffic collision around 9:45 p.m., the Fullerton Police Department stated in a news release.
Arriving officers discovered that a 1999 BMW 323i had crashed into a black 2019 Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
The unidentified motorcycle rider was located east of the intersection and was pronounced dead at the scene, the Police Department stated.
Investigators believe the rider was stopped at a red light on Orangethorpe Avenue when the BMW traveling in the same lane “maintained its speed and failed to stop for the red light or avoid the motorcycle,” police said.
The BMW struck the rear end of the motorcycle, ejecting the rider.
“The driver of the BMW continued traveling eastbound on Orangethorpe Ave with the Harley Davidson wedged underneath the front of the vehicle for a significant distance,” police said.
Witnesses followed the BMW and detained the driver, later identified as 44-year-old Francisco Garcia-Vargas, until police arrived at the scene.
Video recorded following the collision showed the suspect stumbling during a field sobriety test.
Garcia-Vargas was subsequently arrested on suspicion of driving without a license, felony driving under the influence and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
Hours after the crash, a police cruiser blocking traffic on Orangethorpe Avenue during the investigation was struck by a motorist driving a Tesla in self-drive mode.
An officer was standing near the vehicle but jumped out of the way in time and was not injured.
The crash caused the police car to spin around, leaving the front end heavily damaged.
