Six-Car Crash in Front of Cerrito Theater, Driver Arrested

San Pablo Avenue suddenly echoed with several loud bangs in front of Cerrito Theater early Friday afternoon when six cars collided in a chain-reaction crash that resulted in one arrest.

One driver, 70-year-old Joseph Willingham of Berkeley, was arrested for investigation of being under the influence, probably from of a prescription drug, said El Cerrito police Sgt. Lauren Caputo.

No one was injured in the crash, which occurred about 1:15 p.m. in the righthand northbound lane, said Battalion Chief Michael Bond of the El Cerrito fire department. He said three cars suffered moderate to severe damage.

"It's a wonder no one got sent to the hospital," he said.

A witness said four of the vehicles had to be taken away on flatbed trucks and that two were able to be driven away despite their dents.

"It sounded like 'Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!'" said Eddie Pledger, who was inside his business, Velocity Lock and Key, which faces the accident scene. "It sounded like a whole bunch of cars just got plowed into."

Pledger said he went outside and saw police administer sobriety tests to an older man, who seemed dazed and who was not able to perform the tests, which included walking in a line with one foot in front of the other, holding up one leg straight in front, and touching his fingers to his thumb in order.

Pledger said, based on information he was given by police and what he witnessed, the accident began when the older man, who was driving a Saab and was identified by police as Willingham, sideswiped one car and then accidentally hit his accelerator instead of his brake, which caused him to crash into a car in front of him, which was waiting in line for a red light. That car then hit the car in front of it, sending it forward into the next vehicle, which then hit the next vehicle, he said.

"After he sideswiped one car, he went to step on the brakes, but instead of slamming on the brakes, he stepped on the accelerator," Pledger said.

Caputo and Bond said they did not have information about what may caused the accident. Caputo said the accident is under investigation and could take extra time because of the number of vehicles involved.

No one showed signs of injury, though paramedics attended to one woman who turned out to be suffering from an anxiety attack, Pledger said. Bond said one person was attended to by paramedics and declined treatment or transport to a hospital.

Pledger said police told him a valium prescription was found in the arrested man's vehicle.

He said the man was picked up after the accident by an acquaintance who said the driver had been the acquaintance's landlord. "He's a good guy and didn't intend to hurt anybody," Pledger said.