MURRIETA, CA — A Riverside woman lost her life, and three others were seriously injured early Saturday morning after a vehicle crashed into a tree on Interstate 215, near Murrieta Hot Springs Road, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
The DUI crash on I-215 occurred around 1:32 a.m. in the southbound lanes, just north of the Murrieta Hot Springs exit. Initial 911 reports came in as an open line before dispatchers confirmed that a car had gone off the road and struck a tree.
The driver, Andrea Villalta, 28, of Los Angeles, was operating a 2022 Toyota Corolla when, for reasons still under investigation, she veered onto the right shoulder and continued southbound before crashing into a tree west of the main lanes.
Murrieta Fire & Rescue teams responded immediately, reporting multiple injuries and one person trapped inside the vehicle.
One passenger, Brandy Joya, 30, of Riverside, was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:41 a.m., according to the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office. Three other passengers — a 28-year-old man from San Diego and two women from Los Angeles, ages 25 and 28 — sustained major injuries and were transported to Inland Valley Medical Center.
Villalta suffered minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital. Authorities later determined that she had been driving under the influence of alcohol. She was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI and booked at the Cois Byrd Detention Facility.
The CHP Temecula Area Office continues to investigate the crash and urges any witnesses to call (951) 466-4300.
