The California Highway Patrol says a man found dead Thursday in the Salinas Riverbed in Paso Robles was the same man who was wanted for a hit-and-run crash earlier this week.
Police say a man who was using a metal detector in the area discovered the body of Pedro Alvarado-Torres at about 8:30 a.m. in an area of dense brush.
The crash happened at about 2 a.m. on Monday.
The CHP says Alvarado-Torres, 40, of King City ran off after driving the wrong way on Highway 101 and crashing head-on into another vehicle near Niblick Rd.
The driver of that vehicle, a 62-year-old woman from Atascadero, reportedly suffered internal injuries in the crash and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
A Good Samaritan who stopped to help was killed when she was hit by a van that apparently lost control after hitting debris left behind by the initial crash. The CHP says Monica Cantu, 55, of Paso Robles died after being taken to the hospital.
A second person who stopped to help suffered major injuries.
The San Luis Obispo County Coroner’s Office is investigating Alvarado-Torres’ cause of death and the CHP says its investigation into the hit-and-run crash continues.
