A Mendota resident is facing felony DUI charges after an early morning wreck just outside of Mendota resulted in the death of a 22-year old man.
According to Officer Shannon Stiers of the Los Banos office of the CHP, the wreck occurred on Highway 33 near Bass Avenue at 3 am on Monday morning.
Stiers reported that a 2016 Chevy Equinox, driven by 27-year old Gilberto Castro of Mendota, was heading south on Highway 33 approaching Bass Avenue. At the same time, a 2009 Toyota was heading north on Highway 33 just north of Bass Avenue.
According to Stiers, Castro allowed his vehicle to drift from the southbound lane into the northbound lane. The front left of Castro’s vehicle collided with the front left of the Toyota, causing it to overturn and come to a rest on its roof. The driver, the car’s lone occupant, was declared dead at the scene.
Castro suffered minor injuries. The investigating officer determined that he was under the influence of alcohol and placed him under arrest.
The name of the deceased, believed to be a resident of Mendota, was withheld pending notification of next of kin.
