Manslaughter suspect arrested in Santa Clarita

A man who had a warrant out for his arrest due to his alleged responsibility in a fatal DUI crash in Lost Hills was apprehended by officers with the California HIghway Patrol-Newhall Area Office on Wednesday.

Angel Diaz, 20, of Palmdale, was arrested by CHP officers late Wednesday night on Highway 14 while reportedly in commission of another crime, according to Officer Josh Greengard, a spokesman for the CHP Newhall office.

“We arrested him on his warrant last night,” Greengard said Thursday morning via email. “He was driving a black 2016 BMW 320i on the 14 freeway.”

Greengard said officers pulled Diaz over after they spotted him allegedly heading down the freeway at 96 mph. When deputies made contact, they realized Diaz had had a warrant issued for his arrest two weeks ago.

“It was a car crash on (Pacific Coast Highway) in August of 2020, (in the) Lost Hills jurisdiction,” said Greengard. “Diaz was the driver and killed his friend in the crash.”

Diaz was transported and booked at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station jail at 8:16 p.m. on a charge description of alleged vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

He was held in lieu of $50,000 bail.