Another alcohol-related death in Pacific Beach – How many will it take?

Yet another death in the beach community of Pacific Beach. This time it’s by young people celebrating a birthday at a bonfire, presumably at the beach or bay park. As it turns out the young man that lost his life was 19 years old.

Here are the stories that relate to this tragic accident this morning. One report said passengers suffered broken legs, ribs, a broken neck as well as the unfortunate death.

San Diego Union Tribune Report – Update

PACIFIC BEACH: A 25-year-old El Cajon man was arrested early yesterday on suspicion of driving under the influence and gross vehicular manslaughter after he lost control of his pickup and ran into a tree in Pacific Beach, killing a passenger, police said.

Nikko Mava, 19, of Mira Mesa died about 3 a.m. at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, the county Medical Examiner’s Office said.

Quinto Dickens was speeding north on Lamont Street near Thomas Avenue shortly after 2:30 a.m. when he struck a pepper tree, San Diego police said.

Detective Dan Wall said Dickens and friends had been at a bonfire earlier in the evening, celebrating one of the men’s 21st birthday, before they got into his 2003 Dodge Ram. Five men were in the cab, and Mava was riding in the truck bed.

The driver and other passengers suffered broken bones and other injuries and were taken to a hospital, Wall said.– K.K. & P.R.

KFMB-TV Report
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NBC San Diego Report

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SAN DIEGO — One man died and five people were injured early Tuesday when a pickup crashed into a tree in a residential area in Pacific Beach, police said.

The crash happened at about 2:30 a.m. in the 4300 block of Lamont Street near the intersection with Thomas Street, investigators said. A person riding in the bed of the pickup died at the scene. Several of the other five people in the truck were taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, police reported.

The driver of the truck, Quinton Dickens, 25, was arrested on suspicion of felony drunken driving and vehicular manslaughter.

NBCSanDiego.com 04/08/08

SignonSanDiego.com
SAN DIEGO – A 25-year-old El Cajon man was arrested early Tuesday for suspicion of driving under the influence and gross vehicular manslaughter after he lost control of his pickup and ran into a tree in Pacific Beach, killing a passenger, police said.

Quinto Dickens was speeding north on Lamont Street near Thomas Avenue shortly after 2:30 a.m. when he struck the pepper tree, police said.

Detective Dan Wall said Dickens and five friends had been at a bonfire earlier in the evening, celebrating one of the men’s 21st birthday, before they got into his 2003 Dodge Ram.

Five men were in the cab and the man who was killed was riding in the bed of the truck. The 25-year-old victim died at the scene, Wall said.

The county Medical Examiner’s office said they were still notifying family members and were not yet releasing the man’s name.

The driver and other passengers suffered broken bones and other injuries and were taken to the hospital, Wall said.

SignOnSanDiego.com 04-08-08