Fatal five-vehicle crash ends in arrests

BONSALL, Calif.- On Wednesday, June 19, 2024, at approximately 11:40 p.m. officers from the California Highway Patrol-Oceanside Area Office responded to reports of a multi-vehicle crash

on southbound Interstate 15, south of Old Highway 395, in unincorporated San Diego County.

A 26-year-old male from Chula Vista was driving a Chevrolet Colorado in the #2 southbound lane of Interstate 15. For reasons still under investigation, the Chevrolet rearended the back of a Nissan Titan. Following this crash, the Chevrolet became disabled in the southbound lanes of traffic, where a Volkswagen Tiguan collided with the disabled Chevrolet. Shortly after, a Toyota Camry collided into the back of the Volkswagen. Immediately after, a fifth vehicle, Kia Soul, sideswiped the front left of the Chevrolet.

The California Highway Patrol and fire/paramedics responded to the scene. Unfortunately, the right-front female passenger of the Toyota (32-year-old from Compton) succumbed to her

injuries while on scene. The driver of the Toyota (32-year-old from Perris, California) was transported by ambulance to a local area hospital with major life-threatening injuries. All other

parties involved suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the Chevrolet, Mark Anthony Bengal, and the driver of the Volkswagen, Phillip Mattson, were both placed under arrest for Driving Under the Influence (DUI), where they face

DUI-Alcohol-related charges.

The investigation is ongoing, and the CHP is asking anyone who has information or may have witnessed this incident to contact the Oceanside Area CHP office at (760) 643-3400. The identity of the deceased will be released through the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office.