Man Killed In Fiery Crash In Walnut Creek ID'd

WALNUT CREEK, CA — A San Rafael man killed early Sunday morning after a suspected drunken driver hit his car on state Highway 24 has been identified, according to the Contra Costa County coroner's office.

Frander Arriaza, 23, died after another car slammed into the Nissan Z-car he was driving, according to the CHP.

The CHP first received a report at 1:21 a.m. that the Nissan driven by Arriaza was reportedly blocking Highway 24 on the connector ramp to northbound Interstate Highway 680. The Nissan may have been disabled in a collision.

Before CHP officers could get to the scene, however, a Chevrolet Volt slammed into the Nissan and the car was engulfed in flames when emergency responders arrived.

The driver of the Chevy, Dennis Toshimi Tajiri, 68, of Concord, was treated for minor injuries at a hospital. He was arrested and later booked into the Contra Costa County Jail in Martinez on suspicion of felony DUI and gross vehicular manslaughter.

The crash is under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the CHP's Contra Costa-area office at (925) 646-4980.

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— Bay City News; Image by Renee Schiavone, Patch