Man Wanted for Killing Couple in Crash

A man who fled from a crash that killed two people in Wine Country was at large today.

The crash happened around 11:50 p.m. Friday on Glen Oaks Road just west of Bella Vista Road, according to the Highway Patrol.

Carlos Castro, 52, and his wife, Laurie Castro, 50, both of Hemet, were driving east on Glen Oaks in their 2004 Honda Civic when a 1997 Chrysler Sebring driving in the opposite direction drifted into their lane, said CHP Officer Ron Thatcher.

The cars slammed into each other head-on, and the couple was killed on impact, Thatcher said.

After the crash, the driver of the Chrysler ran away, leaving his car behind. He was last seen running east on Glen Oaks, according to Thatcher.

Alcohol may have played a role in the crash. “An open container of alcohol was located within the vehicle and may have been a factor in the collision,” Thatcher said.

The officer asked anybody with information to call the Temecula CHP office at 951-506-2000.

The scene of the crash was quiet on Monday. The only signs left of the tragedy were shattered glass in the dust, a black spot of scorched earth and a single bouquet of flowers hanging on a nearby fence.

City News Service contributed to this report.