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Drunk man caught driving wrong-way on Highway 46

October 7, 2019

Lorenzo Gonzalez Ortega

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

An intoxicated man managed to avoid crashing into other vehicles while driving the wrong-way on Highway 46 near Paso Robles early Sunday morning, but he did not managed to avoid arrest.

At about 2 a.m., Lorenzo Gonzalez Ortega, of San Miguel, was driving a small white sedan eastbound in the westbound lanes of Highway 46 near Mill Road, according to the CHP. Officers located Ortega’s vehicle near Whitley Gardens and tried to intercept it.

Ortega stopped his car facing east in a westbound lane, and turned the headlights off.

Officers quickly removed Ortega from the vehicle and moved the car out of the lane of traffic.

Officers arrested Ortega for DUI, driving with a suspended license and having multiple outstanding warrants totaling $145,000. Ortega is not currently in custody, according to the SLO County Sheriff’s Office website.

The CHP thanks drivers who reported the wrong-way driver. The agency says tragedy was avoided because of the efforts of the individuals who reported the driver.


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Sadly, custody issues are still being sorted by the ability of the accused or their willing associates’ ability to pay bail, giving those with greater financial means the ability to roam free, no matter what the source of that income and often in the face of substantial charges. This system is, IMHO highly unfair to those of lesser means and in this case, likely dangerous to the public.


4

“Ortega is not currently in custody…”


Welcome to the new California.


11

Must have not been here illegally, and must have had someone to bail him out with about $14,500 cash and a bails bondman….


6

Sure hope they revoked his passport so he can’t flee. ; /


11

>> “Ortega is not currently in custody, according to the SLO County Sheriff’s Office website.” <<

What, wait. .. . "driving with a suspended license and having multiple outstanding warrants totaling $145,000." What the .. . did he have a get out of jail free card, or something?


22

WTH! No longer in custody? Gonna wait till somebody dies?


29