Crime & Safety
Driver Suspected Of Killing Woman In Cabazon DUI Crash Out Of Custody
A 48-year-old is accused of fleeing deputies while drunk driving in a sports car, causing a fiery and deadly crash.
CABAZON, CA — A 48-year-old man suspected of fleeing from sheriff's deputies while drunk at the wheel of a sports car, causing a fiery crash that killed a young woman in Cabazon, was out of custody Thursday on a $75,000 bond.
Jason Ray McQueary of Hemet was arrested and booked into the Benoit Detention Center in Indio Sunday on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter, driving under the influence resulting in great bodily injury and DUI resulting in property damage. He was transported to the jail after being released from Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs.
McQueary posted bail Monday afternoon and has been out of custody since then.
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He allegedly killed 23-year-old Carlie Membrino of Banning last Thursday on Seminole Drive at Malki Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The agency said that at about 9:30 p.m., Riverside County sheriff's patrol deputies spotted the suspect at the wheel of a Ford Mustang, going in the wrong direction on Seminole, near Apache Trail, and believed that he was driving under the influence.
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"Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver failed to yield, and a pursuit was initiated," according to a sheriff's statement.
CHP Officer Jonathan Torres said the roughly mile-long chase "traveled westbound on Seminole at speeds of 90 to 95 mph."
He said Membrino was in her Nissan Versa, stopped at the intersection of Seminole and Malki, preparing to turn southbound onto Malki, when the Mustang approached from behind with deputies on its tail.
"The driver of the Ford did not stop," Torres said. "As a result, he allowed the Ford to crash into the rear of the Nissan."
After slamming into the compact car, the Mustang skidded into a gas station, hitting the business and triggering a fire, according to sheriff's officials.
The gas pumps were not ignited, and county fire department crews arrived minutes later and doused the blaze. No one inside the building was hurt.
Paramedics pronounced Membrino dead at the scene.
The 6-foot, 6-inch, 280-pound suspect was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. He was medically cleared to leave the hospital for booking 48 hours later.
Background information on McQueary was unavailable.
—City News Service
