The driver of the 2007 Subaru Forester, Nathan Dejarnette, 21 of Idyllwild, sits on a backboard as front passenger Ariel Torrez, 20 of Idyllwild is extracted from the vehicle early Saturday morning. Photo by Jenny Kirchner

By Halie Johnson and Jenny Kirchner

 

Alcohol was a factor in a traffic collision Saturday at around 3 a.m. on Lower Pine Crest in Idyllwild.

Three passengers of a 2007 Subaru Forester were transported to local hospitals after the driver, Nathan Dejarnette, 21 of Idyllwild, side-swiped a tree, causing him to lose control and careen down an embankment, running into a carport and hitting the Chevy El Camino parked inside.

Passenger Ariel Torrez, 20 of Idyllwild, is stabilized before being transported by American Medical Response to a nearby hospital with a broken arm. Photo by Jenny Kirchner

California Highway Patrol Officer David Kling did not arrest Dejarnette for driving under the influence, as he passed a field sobriety test. Kling said the car was traveling at about 40 miles per hour. Kling said the passengers had all been drinking.

 

Ariel Torres, 20 of Idyllwild, who was riding in the front passenger seat, was transported to Hemet Valley Regional Medical Center for treatment of broken bones and lacerations.

David Rogelio, 29 of Ontario, and Ansel Chang, 24 of San Fernando, were transported to Riverside Regional Medical Center. Both men suffered lacerations and Chang was believed to have some broken bones.

Torrez is loaded into an American Medical Response unit and transported to an area hospital. Photo by Jenny Kirchner

 

Before emergency personnel arrived, allegedly multiple passengers from the crash were on foot banging on doors up and down Pine Crest yelling for help. One house was broken into after no one answered the door. The door and window was kicked in, they entered leaving a blood trail throughout the house. The renter of the apartment was not home at the time. Photo by Jenny Kirchner

A fifth occupant, Timothy Neven, 23 of Montrose, was treated on the scene for a laceration to his head, but was not transported to a hospital for treatment.

 

Witnesses say several of the car’s occupants were belligerent after the crash and were running up and down the street looking for help. One passenger tried to flee the scene on foot, but was chased down by a neighbor. They apparently broke into a vacant home at some point before medics arrived looking for help.

Evidence of blood was visible as the 2007 Subaru Forester was hauled onto the tow truck from Idyllwild Garage. Photo by Jenny Kirchner

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