SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. - The California Highway Patrol has identified the suspect in an alleged DUI crash that killed a Santa Clara County sheriff's deputy over the weekend.
CHP officers on Monday said 26-year-old Conrad Gonzalez, of San Jose, is facing felony charges for DUI and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
Authorities also shared more details on Saturday's crash that left Santa Clara County Sheriff's Deputy Arturo Romero, 51, dead.
According to the CHP's collision report, Gonzalez was driving a 2009 Toyota Sienna in the wrong direction on Highway 87. At around 4:50 a.m., the allegedly intoxicated driver was heading northbound on the highway when he crashed into Romero's 2021 Honda Accord.
Romero was pronounced dead by paramedics at around 5:14 a.m.
Romero had been driving home from a shift.
Officials are still investigating, but they suspect alcohol impairment was involved.
Police said Gonzalez sustained moderate injuries and was booked into Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.
CHP Officer Ross Lee said Tuesday morning that Gonzalez has been arrested, but because he is in the hospital, he has not been booked into jail yet.
Romero is survived by his wife and children.
Santa Clara Co. Sheriff's Office loses 2 deputies in off-duty deaths
Two deputies in Santa Clara County died within days of each other. According to officials, one deputy was hit by a suspected drunk driver over the weekend. The other died after a medical emergency.