Alleged drunk driver arrested for double fatal SR-62 crash to appear in court

A judge is scheduled today to determine whether an Anza man will stand trial on felony counts of DUI gross vehicular manslaughter and drunken driving in connection to a crash that killed two people north of Desert Center last year.

Austin Bly Ellington, 20, of Anza, is accused in the June 29, 2018, crash on state Route 62, east of state Route 177. He is scheduled to appear at the Larson Justice Center in Indio for a preliminary hearing this morning.

ORIGINAL STORY: DUI manslaughter charges filed against 19-year-old for double fatal crash

According to California Highway Patrol Officer Jackie Quintero, Ellington, who was 18 at the time of the crash, was driving a white Dodge Ram east on state Route 62 that drifted into the westbound lane and slammed head-on into a red Dodge Ram driven by 57-year-old Banning resident David Brian Chance, who died at the scene.

Mariah Garcia, 20, of Anza, was riding in Ellington’s truck and also died at the scene, Quintero said. Ellington and another of his passengers were airlifted to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs with major injuries.

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Ellington was arrested July 17, 2018, at the hospital, according to county jail records. He’s currently out of custody on $220,000 bail.