Man charged with murder after fatal wrong-way crash on I-580

( KRON ) — An Oakland man has been charged with murder after he allegedly drove his car the wrong way on I-580 and crashed into another car , killing its driver. A second man was also charged in connection to a burglary that happened before the crash.

The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office alleges that on March 19, Patrick Sheckells, 35, was driving a stolen pickup truck the wrong way on I-580 when he struck another car head-on. The driver, Lee David Weiner, was killed.

The crash happened after a burglary and police chase. The El Cerrito Police Department responded to a tobacco store at about 4:20 a.m. after the store owner said his security camera showed two men driving a truck through the front of the store and stealing “large amounts” of tobacco products, the DA’s office said.

The second suspect, 56-year-old Andre Lamar Alberty of Stockton, was charged in connection to this burglary.

ECPD officers spotted a truck that matched the store owner’s description and pursued it. The DA’s office said officers ended their pursuit five minutes before the fatal crash in the Bay Bridge maze.

According to ECPD, the officer followed the suspects westbound on I-80 when Sheckells abruptly turned the wrong way onto I-580. A second driver was also seriously injured in the crash.

Alberty was charged with second-degree burglary and grand theft of personal property. He is in custody. Sheckells remains hospitalized. He was charged with:

• Murder
• Wrong-way driving on a freeway causing injury or death
• Driving under the influence of a controlled substance causing injury
• Driving or taking a vehicle without consent
• Second-degree burglary
• Grand theft of personal property

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