Suspected DUI Collision in Santa Barbara Leaves Three Injured; Driver Arrested

Authorities Say Driver Was Under Influence of Alcohol and Crashed Into Wall at ‘High Rate of Speed’

Credit: Courtesy Santa Barbara Police Department

A driver — reportedly under the influence of alcohol — crashed his Ford Focus into a retaining wall while exiting the freeway at a “high rate of speed” early Friday morning, leaving himself and two passengers injured, according to Santa Barbara Police spokesperson Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale.

The collision occurred around 1:30 a.m. right off the southbound Castillo Street exit of Highway 101, where the driver — identified as 25-year-old Ray Timothy Oberholzer — was attempting to turn left onto Castillo Street and instead hit the front end of his sedan into the wall of the underpass.

Oberholzer and the front seat passenger sustained minor injuries, but the vehicle’s rear seat passenger was transported to Cottage Hospital with “serious injuries,” Ragsdale said. The passenger is still in the hospital as of Friday afternoon.

Oberholzer was believed to have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision and was arrested and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail for felony DUI causing injury with bail of $100,000.

The Santa Barbara Police Department is handling the investigation into the incident, and more information will be released when made available.