A car salesman was killed in Ontario, California, during a high-speed test drive in a Corvette Tuesday, while the driver was arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide and felony driving under the influence of drugs.
Witnesses told authorities that the Corvette, driven by 28-year-old Alex Demetro, of Union City, California, was traveling at a high rate of speed near the
dealership, according to KTLA-TV.
The vehicle, in which 43-year-old used car dealer Warren Smale was riding as a passenger, appeared to lose control and struck a tree around 12:45 p.m. local time, Ontario Police Department Sgt. Jeff Higbee told the local station.
Smale was transported to San Antonio Community Hospital in Upland, where he was listed in critical condition and
later pronounced dead, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Demetro, who was also injured in the accident, was arrested and is currently sitting in a San Bernardino County jail with bail set at $100,000, the Times said. Higbee told KTLA-TV that investigators are investigating whether drugs were a contributing factor in the crash.
"Today is an incredibly sad day for the
CarMax family," the dealership stated in a post on its website. "Our hearts and prayers go out to our associate's family. CarMax is working closely with the authorities on the investigation."
Smale's coworker Lydia Garrett said test drives are part of the job and Smale likely had no idea of the potential danger.
"He was the guy at work that it didn't matter what kind of day you were having, he was there for you," Garrett told KTLA-TV. "He would make you laugh. He would make you smile."
Robert Sotela, another coworker, told the San Bernardino Sun that Smale was in a good mood on Tuesday before the deadly test drive.
"He was a good human being," he said. "He was a very loving, uplifting person. If you were down, he would give you a hug and a word of encouragement."
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