El Salvadorian man arrested on vehicular manslaughter charges after fatal head-on 

Update posted May 27. 9 a.m. 

German Alfredo Castro posted bail, due back to court in July  

–The California Highway Patrol has released details regarding the deadly head-on collision that occurred on Wednesday on Highway 1 near Hearst Castle.

On May 25 at approximately 2:20 p.m. German Alfredo Castro, a 57-year-old man from El Salvador, was driving his 2015 Mazda 3 rental car, southbound on Highway 1, north of Arroyo De La Cruz, at approximately 60 miles per hour. For unknown reasons Castro drove his vehicle into the opposite traffic lane and hit a 2016 Ford Focus head on, according to CHP. Charles L. Wegener, Jr. the driver of the Ford Focus, was pronounced dead at the scene. Two passengers in the Mazda 3 were injured, and one passenger in the Ford Focus was injured.

Castro was arrested and booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail on May 26, on vehicular manslaughter charges. Castro posted bail, and is out of jail. He has a court date scheduled for late July.

Drugs and/or alcohol do not appear to be a factor in this collision, and the investigation is ongoing.

Update posted May 25, 3:40 p.m.

Update: Fatality confirmed in head-on collision

–The suspected fatality as a result of the head-on collision that occurred on Highway 1 has been confirmed by CHP.

Further details regarding the crash are still pending.

Original story posted May 25, 3:26 p.m.

Both lanes of Highway 1 are closed as of Wednesday at 3:15 p.m.

–A head on collision has occurred on Highway 1 near Piedras Blancas, just north of Hearst Castle, possibly involving either 2 or 3 vehicles, according to California Highway Patrol Public Informations Officer Patrick Seebart.

Reports are conflicting as to the number of cars involved, according to Seebart, however it is known that the collision was a head-on and occurred at approximately 2:24 p.m. Both the northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 1 are currently closed as of 3:15 p.m.

Police have reported two major injuries, two minor injuries, and one potential fatality, though the fatality has not been confirmed.

Officers are still on scene investigating this collision. Updates will be posted.

About the author: News Staff

News staff of the A-Town Daily News wrote and edited this article from local contributors and press releases. Scott Brennan is the publisher of this newspaper and founder of Access Publishing. Connect with him on Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, or follow his blog. He can be reached at scott@accesspublishing.com.