RivCo Woman Critically Injured In Fatal I-15 Multi-Vehicle Crash

BONSALL, CA — A fatal five-car pileup late Wednesday night on Interstate 15, south of Temecula, was triggered by DUI motorists, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The wreck left a Perris woman with major life-threatening injuries and her passenger dead.

About 11:40 p.m. Wednesday, California Highway Patrol officers responded to reports of a multi-vehicle crash on the southbound side of the freeway, south of Old Highway 395, near Bonsall in unincorporated northern San Diego County, CHP Officer Hunter Gerber said.

Mark Anthony Bengal, 26, of Chula Vista was driving a Chevrolet Colorado pickup on southbound I-15 when, for reasons under investigation, he rear-ended the back of a Nissan Titan. The Chevy became disabled and was hit by a Volkswagen Tiguan driven by Phillip Mattson, 80, of Encinitas, Gerber said.

Both men would subsequently be arrested for suspicion of DUI.

A Toyota Camry then crashed into the back of the Volkswagen, and a Kia Soul sideswiped the front left of the Chevy, he said.

Two 32-year-old women were in the Camry. The right front passenger, from Compton, died at the scene. The driver, from Perris, was taken by ambulance to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries, the officer said.

All others involved suffered injuries not considered life-threatening.

The CHP is still investigating the deadly crash. The agency is asking anyone with information or who may have witnessed the incident to call the Oceanside area CHP office at 760-643-3400.