Three students returned to their cars in a campus parking lot Tuesday to find them smashed by an alleged drunk driver.

The accident took place next to Lot C, where many students park their cars up and down Manhattan Beach Boulevard. The automobiles badly damaged in the accident were parked on the northside of the curb in front of the Industry and Tech Building.

The alleged drunk driver told California Highway Patrol that he was returning from Ralph’s when a car made a U-turn in front of him. To avoid hitting the car, he swerved, and, in the process, he rammed into a parked car. The accident set off a chain reaction which damaged three parked cars in the process.

While CHP was questioning the driver, the paramedics arrived on scene but when they asked the driver
to ride with them to the hospital for closer medical examination, the driver
refused.

The driver then refused to take a Breathalyzer test. CHP
officers handcuffed and placed him in the backseat of the squad
car. EC Police Officer Gary Robertson assisted the officers in the
arrest.

Allen Juma, 30, electronics major, said he was the owner of the 2012 Toyota Rav4 which appeared to suffer major rear end damage.

Daniel Barrera, 22, sociology major, owner of a Ford Focus, had a trunk so badly damaged it ended up in the backseat.

Tito Eschamila, 21, biology major, drove a ’98 Ford van. His automobile suffered the least amont of damage – the trunk was jammed which made it difficult to open and close.

After writing up the accident report, CHP handed it to the students. The students were responsible for contacting their insurance companies, driving or towing their demolished automobiles home.