Fallbrook man charged death of 15-year-old Murrieta student

The California Highway Patrol announced Sunday, June 2, that the high-speed traffic accident Saturday, June 1, that claimed the life of a 15-year-old girl was caused by the erratic driving of a 19-year-old Fallbrook man who has been charged with felony driving under the influence of alcohol and felony vehicular manslaughter.

According to multiple reports, Lily Kelly Harrison, 15, of Temecula and a student at Calvary Murrieta High School was killed in the crash.

A candlelight vigil was scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, June 3, at the school's softball field, and the community was invited.

According to the report, Jose A. Zazueta of Fallbrook was driving with three other passengers in his 2015 BMW 328i westbound on Rancho California Road at a speed more than 55 miles per hour.

The CHP said Zazueta "was driving in a reckless manner while traveling uphill, the roadway curved to the right (and) allowed his BMW to veer to the left and into the opposing eastbound traffic lane."

An 18-year-old male from Murrieta was driving his 2005 Toyota Corolla with two passengers – a 15-year-old female and an 18-year-old male, both from Murrieta – eastbound on Rancho California Road, traveling at a speed less than 40 miles per hour.

As Zazueta lost control of his vehicle, the driver of the Corolla was "unable to take any evasive action and the left front of Zazueta's BMW collided head-on into the right front of the Corolla."

According to CHP Officer Mike Lassig, the collision took place just east of Via Santa Rosa in unincorporated Temecula, and the impact of the crash caused fatal blunt force injuries to the 15-year-old female passenger, who was sitting in the right front seat of the Corolla.

The crash sent the BMW off the roadway and down a 150-foot embankment and came to rest on its roof. The occupants of the vehicle were able to get out of the vehicle when it came to a stop.

The Corolla was sent in a westerly direction and into the westbound traffic lane and came to rest on its wheels facing a westerly direction. The two 18-year-olds in the car suffered major injuries and were transported to Inland Valley Medical Center.

During the investigation by the CHP, Zazueta was determined to be driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident and was placed under arrest for felony driving under the influence of alcohol and felony vehicular manslaughter.

He was transported to Inland Valley Hospital along with another male passenger in the BMW with moderate to major injuries.

Zazueta was booked into Southwest Detention Facility in Murrieta upon his release from the hospital Sunday, June 2, and was being held on $75,000 bail. He was scheduled to appear in court at 8 a.m. Wednesday, June 5, at the Murrieta Southwest Justice Center.

Jeff Pack can be reached by email at [email protected].