Rancho Mirage man flees after injuring infant
A suspected drunk driver caused a chain reactioncrash in Palm Desert that left a 2-month-old child and four adults hurt, theaccording to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
Dispatchers received a call at 9:18 p.m. Friday about the crash atCountry Club Drive and Cook Street.
The driver of a silver 2005 Mercedes, later identified as Austin MatthewHollowell, 25, of Rancho Mirage, had been traveling east on Country ClubDrive when he rear-ended a car, one of four vehicles stopped at a red light,Riverside County sheriff’s Sgt. Ken Black said.
The infant and adults were taken to a hospital for treatment of minorinjuries, Black said.
Hollowell was gone when deputies rolled up to the scene. Witnesses toldthem he ran away and deputies later found him at the parking lot of a nearbyshopping center.
Hollowell was arrested and booked for suspicion for drunken driving andother violations. Online jail records showed he was released early Saturdayafter posting $50,000 bail.
