SAN MARCOS — A man who drove drunk and collided with another vehicle on state Route 163 near Kearny Mesa, killing four men in the other car, pleaded guilty today to four counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
Aleim Alavez Garcia, 25, of San Marcos, faces up to 16 years in state prison when he is sentenced for the July 19, 2024, crash, which occurred at around 1:30 a.m. on southbound SR-163, near Interstate 805.
According to the California Highway Patrol, a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck driven by Alavez rear-ended a Toyota Prius, causing it to veer out of control and crash, ejecting the four victims.
One of the victims was struck a second time when a second Toyota Prius crashed into the scene of the fatal collision, authorities said.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Edward Frederick Poss, 32, of San Diego, was driving the second Prius when he drove through the debris field and hit one of the victims who had been ejected from a vehicle in the initial crash.
The men who died were identified by the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office as Faruk Cetin, 27; Mahsun Dursun, 23; Abdurrezak Hizmali, 27; and Baris Savas, 25.
Cetin and Dursun died at the site of the wreck. Paramedics took Hizmali and Savas to Sharp Memorial Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
Prosecutors said Alavez’s blood-alcohol level was .16%, which is two times the legal driving limit in California.
Alavez is due to be sentenced in August.
Poss was also allegedly driving under the influence and is expected to face multiple charges in a separate court proceeding, the CHP said.
