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Local teen in jail, another in hospital after Montalvo crash By Michelle Alaimo
A Saratoga teenager has been charged with felony drunk driving after he smashed his car into a tree on Montalvo Road, leaving one of his passengers in the hospital and in serious condition.
Santa Clara County Sheriff deputies arrested Stuart E. Patrick, 19, at the scene of the accident on March 7 at 3:15 a.m. after a preliminary breath test showed he had a blood alcohol content of .11, deputy Craig Sontra said.
The legally drunk BAC is .08.
One of Patrick's passengers, Jim Guthrie, 19 of Saratoga, suffered a broken ankle in the accident.
The other passenger, 19-year-old Peter Hernandez of Saratoga, who was in the car's front seat, was not so lucky. The Saratoga Fire Department had to use the Jaws of Life to cut off the car's roof and door to remove him from the wreckage.
SFD firefighter Paul Lellman said when the roof and door were removed, "there was a smell of alcohol in the car."
Hernandez is listed in serious condition at Valley Medical Center, suffering from a head injury, punctured lung, broken ribs and lacerated liver, Sontra said. "That poor kid got hammered," Sontra added.
He said that Patrick's car was going at least 43 mph, traveling northbound on Montalvo Road when it crossed into the southbound lane, grazing a tree and slamming into another on the passenger side.
The force of the accident was so great that the tree pushed the passenger door two feet across the seat where Hernandez was sitting, Sontra said.
Sgt. John Hirokawa said the extent of Hernandez's injuries is what led the sheriff's office to arrest Patrick on felony drunk driving charges, instead of only drunk driving.
Officials said Patrick has had one previous arrest for an alcohol-related incident since he turned 18.
Patrick's bail was set at $20,000 at an arraignment hearing on March 10. Patrick remains in custody in the Santa Clara County Jail.
His next court date is scheduled for March 17.
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Saratoga, California Since 1975
