Man in DUI car crash had a gunshot wound, but how he got shot is a mystery
A collision south of Visalia in which the passenger was found to have a gunshot wound is under investigation as possibly connected to an earlier incident.
Erik Guzman, 24, of Visalia, might have been shot in Visalia, police said. He’s in critical condition at a hospital.
About 5:15 a.m. Tuesday, a pickup truck with its lights off hit the rear of a tractor-trailer crossing Road 108 at Avenue 256 (Oakdale Avenue), the California Highway Patrol said.
The driver of the pickup, Vincent Lopez-Prado, 19, was arrested for DUI. A concealed weapon and methamphetamine were found on him, the CHP said.
It’s unclear if the truck’s lights were off because the driver was impaired or were turned off on purpose, CHP officer Steve Beal said.
His passenger needed medical help and was taken to Kaweah Delta Medical Center where a gunshot wound was found. It appears he suffered only minor injuries from the collision, the CHP said.
About 4 a.m. that day, Visalia police got a call about shots fired from a vehicle in the 1600 block of North Leslie Street but no one was found injured. Police are investigating if the incidents are related.
Anyone with information should call Detective Mona Whaley at 559-713-4211 or Crime Stoppers at 559-498-STOP.
Lewis Griswold: 559-441-6104, @fb_LewGriswold
This story was originally published March 1, 2017 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Man in DUI car crash had a gunshot wound, but how he got shot is a mystery."