Arrest made in deadly Seaside crash on Highway 1

California Highway Patrol said they’ve arrested the suspect wanted in a deadly crash last month in Seaside. On Thursday, Erick Ruben Gonzalez, 20, was arrested at his home in Salinas and charged with vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run.

Officers believe Gonzalez was driving a red Nissan Titan that rolled off Highway 1 onto the off ramp to Highway 218 Canyon Del Rey on Jan. 29.

Investigators said Olivia Burges of Seaside, 22, was killed in the crash after she was thrown from the truck. Another passenger, a 24-year-old man from Salinas, was also hurt and taken to Natvidad Medical Center.

Investigators said they had previously spoken to Gonzalez, but he didn’t want to cooperate with them.

“We already had a good idea of who the driver was,” Jaime Rios of the CHP said. “We had talked to him previously and he was not very cooperative with our investigators. So, in order to place him under arrest, we had to go out and make sure we did a thorough investigation.”

Investigators spoke to countless witnesses and reviewed various surveillance video, which led them back to Gonzalez. They hope to find answers that will help the Burgess family begin to heal.

“Getting the story for the family,” Rios said. “It all comes down to — the family has unanswered questions. They want to know what happened. We want to be able to provide them with all the answers as to what happened that night.”

Gonzalez will be back in court on March 11 for a preliminary hearing.