CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake man who fled from the scene of a Tuesday night crash has been arrested.

Daniel Hitchcock, 20, was taken into custody Tuesday evening after officers located him a short distance from the scene of the collision, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph.

Joseph said that Clearlake Police received a call of a traffic collision with injury involving two vehicles on Old Highway 53 near Airport Road just after 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Officers responded to the scene and discovered one vehicle, a badly damaged red Toyota Tercel, containing three injured persons, Joseph said.

The three occupants of the other involved vehicle, a moderately damaged dark-colored Chevrolet Camaro, all had fled the scene on foot, according to Joseph.

Lake County Fire Protection District utilized the jaws of life to free the three injured occupants from the red Toyota. Joseph said the injured included a 24-year-old woman who was the driver, and two 24-year-old men, all from Clearlake.

All three occupants of the red Toyota were flown by helicopter to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries. Joseph said their names are not being released at this time.

He said several witnesses provided officers with a description of the driver of the Camaro. Officers located the driver in the 15100 block of Woodside Drive, a short distance from the collision scene. The driver of the Camaro was identified as Hitchcock.

Joseph said Hitchcock was alleged to have been drinking and was subsequently arrested.

Hitchcock was medically cleared at St. Helena Hospital Clearlake and later booked into the Lake County Jail. Joseph said Hitchcock was charged with a felony count of driving under the influence of alcohol causing bodily injury and a felony count of hit and run with bodily injury.

Hitchcock’s two male passengers, both of Clearlake, also were located and found to have minor injuries, Joseph said. One of Hitchcock’s passengers was treated and released from St. Helena Hospital Clearlake.

The collision is still under investigation, Joseph said.

The Clearlake Police Department thanked all the witnesses who came forward with information which ultimately led to Hitchcock’s arrest.

The department said tragic incidents like this are completely avoidable, and they urged community members to use a sober designated driver when drinking alcoholic beverages or using other controlled substances.

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