San Diego

Vista Man Pleads Guilty in Fatal Collision on State Route 78 in San Marcos

A Vista man pleaded guilty last week to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated for the State Route 78 crash that killed a woman riding in his car. 

Ricardo Vargas, 33, faces six years in prison when he's sentenced for his role in the March collision on westbound SR-78 in San Marcos.

Vargas was behind the wheel of a white 2006 Scion when the car lost control and slid to the right near the Barham Drive exit. The car crashed into a row of yellow attenuators along the right shoulder of the freeway.

When emergency personnel arrived, they found the vehicle up off the ground which created a dangerous scenario for firefighters, officials said.

The passenger of the car, a woman in her 30s, died in the crash, CHP Officer Mark Latulippe said.

Vargas was treated for injuries he suffered in the crash.

Contact Us