Suspected DUI Driver that killed Escondido family pleads not guilty to charges

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – SATURDAY 5/9/15 – McDonald posted bail and has been released to an undisclosed location while he recovers from injuries sustained during the traffic accident. 

On Wednesday, McDonald pleaded not guilty to two counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and five counts of felony DUI.

McDonald, who has no previous criminal history, faces 20 years in prison if convicted.

MONDAY 5/4/15 – On Monday, the California Highway Patrol released the name of the driver who was arrested on suspicion of DUI after causing a double-fatality car crash Saturday morning, hitting a family of five head-on after he entered the Interstate 15 freeway in the wrong direction near Scripps Poway Parkway Saturday morning.21-year-old Shane McDonald is expected to face charges of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and five counts of felony DUI causing injury or death. According to CHP public-affairs Officer Jake Sanchez, McDonald is likely to be arraigned in his hospital room sometime over the next several days.

SATURDAY 5/2/15 – Three people were killed and four others seriously injured in two separate crashes that happened just hours and just miles apart on Interstate 15 Saturday morning.

An Escondido family of five in a Honda Civic was hit head-on by an alleged drunk driver in an Audi who entered the freeway going the wrong direction near Scripps Poway Parkway.

The accident killed two people in the Honda Civic, 55-year-old Rodolfo De La Torre who was driving the vehicle and 84-year-old front seat passenger, Teresa Esparza Hernandez.

The three people in the back of the Honda, De La Torre’s wife Angelica and her two children, 20-year-old Julio and 19-year-old Carolina, also suffered serious injuries

Julio and Angelica suffered head trauma, severe abdomen injuries and broken necks. 19-year-old Carolina suffered a broken clavicle, head trauma and broken ribs.

The driver of the Audi was arrested for DUI. 

A passenger in a van died in the second accident when he was ejected from the vehicle after the van was hit by a gray SUV in the northbound lane of Interstate 15. 

CHP said the driver of the SUV was apparently not paying attention when he or she drifted out of a traffic lane and lost control of the vehicle.

CHP said the driver will probably be facing charges.