Felony DUI Crash Slows I-215 Traffic Wednesday, 1 Hospitalized

PERRIS, CA — A Perris man was hospitalized, and a Menifee driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence Wednesday morning, California Highway Patrol officer Mike Lassig said.

Rudolfo Florez, 34, of Menifee, was arrested at the scene and will be taken to the Cois M. Byrd detention center for booking. He is awaiting Felony DUI charges as a result of driving under the influence and injuring another person.

Just after 7 a.m., a Mitsubishi driven by Florez exited the southbound I-215 at SR-74 at an unknown rate of speed toward stopped traffic, waiting for a red light.

Florez struck an idling Mazda 6 that was waiting for the light to change. Officer Lassig said that the Mitsubishi propelled the Mazda into a 2017 Ford F550 work truck.

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department medics aided the injured driver and evaluated all involved, according to spokesperson Maggie De La Rosa.

"(The Mazda driver), who was not identified, was taken by ambulance to the Riverside County Regional Medical Center with moderate injuries," Lassig said.

The F-550 driver, a 49-year-old Fontana man, was not injured in the crash and declined further treatment.

"Florez was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, felony DUI, causing injury to another person," Lassig said.

Remember, DUIs are preventable. If you drink, have a designated driver or order a rideshare to keep yourself and others safe.

Red also: RivCo/Perris DUI Checkpoint Friday: Officers Talk Fines, License Suspension