One arrested, two injured in suspected DUI crash on Highway 20

A Lakeport man was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs following a crash in Lake County that left two of his passengers with major injuries.

Jeremy Morgan, 30, was driving west on Highway 20, just east of Cora Drive near Kono Tayee Estates, at about 6:40 p.m. when he lost control of his 2001 Jeep Cherokee.

The CHP said he was traveling at about 40 to 50 miles an hour when he failed to “negotiate a curve” on the road.

Morgan’s Jeep drifted sideways into the eastbound lane and into the path of a 2004 Hyundai Sonata driven by Kat Salido, 40, of Cotati. The Sonata crashed into the rear of the Jeep, which flipped onto its roof and slid across the roadway.

The Sonata came to rest facing east and blocking the eastbound lane.

Neither Salido nor her 3-year-old child in the back seat of the Sonata were injured, though Salido complained of chest pain. Both were wearing safety belts. They were treated and released at the scene.

But two passengers in the Jeep, Sabrina Contino, 29, of Lakeport and Teddy Teel, 49, suffered major head and neck injuries and were transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, a regional trauma center. Contino, who was in the front passenger seat, was wearing her seatbelt. Teel was not.

CHP officers found that Morgan was under the influence of a controlled substance at the time of the crash and was arrested. Officials said the crash is still under investigation.

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 707-521-5213 or martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @renofish.