Donald Erwin and Scott Erwin Injured in Cholame Crash on Highway 46 near Bitterwater Road; Jose Morales Arrested
Cholame, California (February 1, 2022) – Donald Erwin, 88, of Lake Isabella and Scott Erwin were injured after being involved in a deadly crash Monday afternoon in Cholame, according to authorities.
The collision happened at around 12:05 p.m. on January 31 on Highway 46, just east of Bitterwater Road.
Authorities said Jose T. Morales, 44, of Parlier, was driving a GMC Yukon westbound on Highway 46 when, for undetermined reasons, he drifted to the left of the double yellow lines and side-swiped the left rear wheel of an eastbound Jeep Grand Cherokee towing a flatbed utility trailer, driven by Donald Erwin.
The GMC continued in a westerly direction and collided head-on with a Dodge 3500 truck. Due to the impact, the GMC overturned across the westbound lanes and landed on its roof on the north dirt shoulder.
The Jeep went out of control in an easterly direction across the westbound lanes and came to rest on its wheels on the north shoulder.
The utility trailer became detached from the Jeep and came to rest blocking the eastbound and westbound lanes.
The Dodge continued in an easterly direction off the south shoulder and crashed through a barbed-wire fence before it came to rest in a grass field on its wheels
A Toyota Tacoma swerved to avoid a collision and traveled off of the south shoulder down an embankment. It then struck a barbed-wire fence and came to rest on its wheels.
Cholame Fatal Car Collision on Highway 46 near Bitterwater Road
Donald Erwin and his passenger, Scott Erwin, complained of pain and sought their own aid.
The driver of the Dodge, whose name was being withheld pending notification of next of kin, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Morales was taken to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center to be treated for his injuries being arrested on suspicion of DUI. He was booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail.
The driver of the Toyota, Bianca Lyrio, 28, of San Diego, did not suffer any injuries.
Both directions of Highway 46 were closed for the investigation.
The authorities are still working to determine what caused the deadly accident in Cholame.