San Diego

Motorcyclist Arrested After Halloween Crash Left Passenger Dead: CHP

Police arrested the driver of a motorcycle one month after he and two passengers crashed in La Mesa, which resulted in one of the passengerโ€™s death.

Chad Paul Tucker was arrested just before 9:15 a.m. Tuesday on charges of manslaughter with gross negligence and felony hit and run, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Tucker was riding a black 2007 Harley Davidson Sportster on Halloween night with Theresa Clouthier and another female passenger, CHP said.

The trio was traveling at โ€œa high rate of speedโ€ on the ramp from Severin Drive to westbound Interstate 8 near state Route 125 when they crashed, according to CHP.

Clouthier was ejected from the bike and was pronounced dead about 10 minutes after the crash, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office. No one was wearing a helmet.

"She was fun, bubbly, adventurous. She was off the wall," said Corena Ocano, a coworker and former roommate of Clouthier. "She would do these dances and sit here in the middle of the day and do a dance. People would bring her food and she'd do a dance because she was happy."

Tucker and the other passenger were also ejected from the bike, and CHP said the two fled the scene when law enforcement arrived.

"What kind of monster would leave someone laying there to die by themselves?" said Ocano. "Anyone who knows her wouldn't leave her there."

CHP is still investigating what caused the motorcycle to crash.

Tucker is being held on $1 million bail, CHP said.

A GoFundMe was set up to help pay for funeral arrangements.

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