20-year-old old Jorge Alberto Gomez Alvarez, has been charged with intoxication assault after a Can-Am crash in El Paso County injured five juvenile passengers, including two who suffered serious injuries.
The crash happened Saturday, Aug. 29, at approximately 12:15 p.m. near the intersection of Ponchatula and Mandeville.
According to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the crash before Special Traffic Investigators took over the investigation.
Investigators determined that a black Can-Am Maverick was traveling westbound in the 14900 block of Mandeville when Gomez Alvarez lost control.
The off-road vehicle then rolled over several times.
Five juveniles, ranging in age from 15 to 16, were inside the Can-Am. All five were injured and taken to local hospitals for further evaluation.
A 15-year-old and a 16-year-old sustained serious injuries.
Investigators determined Gomez Alvarez was intoxicated at the time of the crash.
He was arrested and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on two counts of Intoxication Assault with a Vehicle. His bond was set at $10,000.
Sheriff Oscar Ugarte said the crash highlights the dangers of impaired driving and using off-road vehicles on public roads.
“Five young people were injured, two seriously, because of decisions that could have been avoided,” Ugarte said.
The sheriff’s office also said the Can-Am was not permitted to be operated on public roadways.
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