Woman, 2 Teens Injured in Head-on Collision
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (March 19, 2024) — William Ryan Martensen, 39, was arrested on DUI charges for a violent Laguna Hills crash last Wednesday at Paseo De Valencia, just south of Los Alisos Boulevard.
A woman and two teens ages 15 and 16 years old were injured in the head-on collision around 6 p.m. on March 13th between a white SUV and the suspect in a black SUV, according to the Orange County Register. The driver was charged two days later on March 15th.
Both vehicles had major front-end damage and three people were hospitalized with serious injuries, according to a GoFundMe account. The victims are Nidia Lazo-Berrelleza, Nathalie Berrelleza, 16, and Alexya Garcia, 15, (Alexya’s Gofundme). Nidia Lazo-Berrelleza had just picked up her daughter Nathalie and her friend Alexya after their high school water polo game.
Authorities have now charged the driver William Martensen with four felonies. The charges are causing an injury while driving under the influence of alcohol and a drug, driving the wrong way on a divided highway causing injury or death, possession of a firearm by a felon, and a prohibited person owning ammunition, the report said. The driver also has sentencing enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury on those hurt in the crash.
He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail and is scheduled for a March 29th arraignment in the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.
The suspect has previous DUI and other convictions including a felony DUI and a misdemeanor count of hit and run in December 2017.
Other previous DUI convictions were in November 2010, June of 2008 and September of 2007.
Johnson Attorneys Group does not represent any of the parties mentioned above. Furthermore, Johnson Attorneys Group hopes this news information is timely and helpful. Additionally, if you would like to contribute any information, add a GoFundMe page or have legal questions in English or Spanish, please call 1-(855) 703-4186 as soon as possible. Our personal injury law firm is a proud, longtime supporter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
