Man killed in major DUI collision in downtown Sacramento early Monday morning

A man was killed early Monday morning in downtown Sacramento when his car was hit by a suspected DUI driver who was evading California Highway Patrol officers, according to the CHP.

Patrol officers attempted an enforcement stop on a suspected DUI driver at 15th and L streets at 2:26 a.m. Monday. The driver, in a white BMW, was identified as Ivan Dimov by the CHP.

Dimov attempted to evade the CHP officers and led them on a short chase, according to a news release from the CHP.

Officers lost sight of the BMW near 18th and K, and at 2:27 a.m. encountered a major traffic collision at 18th and I streets involving Dimov, the CHP said.

Dimov ran the stop sign and collided with the left side of a gray Infiniti, which was traveling west on I Street. After colliding with the Infiniti, Dimov’s BMW continued into a parked car, which collided with and damaged two more parked cars, according to the CHP.

Medical personnel arrived on the scene and transported the driver of the Infiniti to the hospital, where he later died of his injuries, the release said.

The victim has been identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office as Melvin Kwaun Strong, 28, of Vacaville.

Dimov was taken into custody by the CHP and is currently in the hospital due to major injuries sustained in the collision. He was arrested on the scene for felony DUI, evading a police officer causing serious injury or death, and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence charges, according to the CHP.

H and I streets were closed between 17th and 19th streets for several hours after the collision, and reopened shortly before 10 a.m. Monday.

This story was originally published December 24, 2018 at 3:23 PM.