20-04-2025
Alleged DUI driver arrested for crash that killed 1, injured three others in Riverside
An alleged DUI driver was arrested and faces a murder charge for a deadly crash that happened in Riverside on Wednesday night.
The crash happened at around 6 p.m. at the intersection of Fifth Street and Market Street, according to the Riverside Police Department.
Investigators say that Isaac Isaiah Villabla, a 19-year-old Redlands resident, was behind the wheel of a Dodge Challenger heading southbound on Market at a high rate of speed when he slammed into the back of a Honda Civic heading in the same direction. The force of the impact caused the Honda to veer into oncoming traffic.
"The Honda collided head-on with a vehicle traveling northbound on Market," police said. "The Dodge continued and collided with another vehicle as it came to rest."
The Honda driver, since identified as 37-year-old Riverside man Christian Barragan, was rushed to a nearby hospital in grave condition. He died less than an hour after arrival, police said.
Two other drivers and a passenger were also hospitalized for injuries ranging between minor and moderate.
Villalba was arrested after he attempted to flee from the scene. Police say that he "resisted officers with violence before being safely taken into custody. He was also hospitalized but booked into jail after he was cleared, they noted.
The intersection was closed for several hours as the investigation continued on Wednesday night.
Villalba was expected in court on Friday after he was charged with murder, three counts of driving under the influence of drugs resulting in injuries and one count each of hit-and-run causing death and resisting arrest, police said. He also faced great bodily injury sentence-enhancing allegations.
He remains behind bars in lieu of $1 million bail.
