Teen injured after father crashes vehicle through barricades in Palm Springs

police cars behind police tape
Photo credit Getty Images

PALM SPRINGS (CNS) - A boy was seriously injured Tuesday after his father allegedly drove under the influence through road closure barricades in Palm Springs and crashed into a large sand berm.

Pablo Garcia Montealegre, 31, was arrested Tuesday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence and child endangerment, according to the Palm Springs Police Department.

Police said that just before 2 a.m. Tuesday, an officer saw two vehicles drive past him at a high rate of speed and crash through the south closure barricades on North Indian Canyon Drive.

One of the vehicles collided into a large sand berm that covered the entire roadway, rolled over and became engulfed in flames, according to police. Michael Hernandez, 18, was hospitalized with major injuries and is expected to be charged with driving under the influence.

"While at the scene, another vehicle was found rolled over, but no occupants were found," Palm Springs police said in a statement. "It was unknown if this vehicle was abandoned and involved with the current traffic collision, until PSPD became aware that the driver of that vehicle did not report an earlier collision."

It's alleged that Montealegre was drinking and driving his son home from a party in Cathedral City, according to police. He allegedly bypassed the barricades and collided into the same berm as Hernandez.

Montealegre extricated himself and his son after his car rolled over, police said. They allegedly walked to a nearby gas station, where a family member picked them up and took them to a hospital.

"The child sustained serious injury to his face and unknown internal injury to his body," police said. "The child was airlifted to another hospital for treatment."

Anyone with information on either of the two crashes was asked to call the PSPD Traffic Division at 760-323-8125 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 760-347-7867 (STOP).

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