Temecula Crash Injures 7, Suspected DUI Driver Awaits Felony Charges

TEMECULA, CA — Felony DUI charges are expected for the 36-year-old Temecula man suspected of driving under the influence and causing a four-vehicle crash at a Temecula intersection that injured seven people, two seriously.

Matthew Thomas Jackson was arrested and booked into the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta Sunday on suspicion of DUI resulting in great bodily injury and hit-and-run resulting in injuries. He was being held in lieu of $500,000 bail in a case being reviewed by the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.

The multi-vehicle collision happened just after 7 p.m. Sunday on Butterfield Stage Road at Channel Street, according to Riverside County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Joey Sinz.

Days after the crash, sources told Patch that at least one Great Oak High School student was injured, along with two siblings, one of which is in critical condition.

According to Sinz, Jackson was headed southbound in a car that plowed through a red traffic signal, slamming into another vehicle going westbound on Channel.

The collision impacted two other vehicles, as well, and after all of them came to rest, the suspect allegedly bailed out of his car and ran away, according to the sergeant.

"Witnesses provided deputies with the suspect's direction of travel, and deputies located and detained him," Sinz said.

Jackson did not require hospitalization. Deputies determined that he was allegedly under the influence of alcohol.

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department personnel reached the location within minutes and identified seven patients, "two with serious injuries, two with moderate injuries, and three who were assessed and declined further treatment," according to the agency. Among them were multiple broken bones, according to a source familiar with the crash.

The four with moderate to serious injuries were taken to a regional trauma center for treatment and are expected to recover.

Butterfield Stage was closed at the scene for several hours while deputies conducted a preliminary investigation.