Man accused in fatal drunk driving crash had ’6 or 8 or 12’ drinks, Missouri cops say

A man accused of causing a fatal crash told officers he was unsure how much he drank, indicating it was anywhere from six to 12 drinks, Missouri police say.

The July 2 crash in St. Louis resulted in the death of a passenger in the man’s car, according to the St. Louis County Police Department.

Just after midnight, officers saw the driver of the Chevy Sonic, 23-year-old Yastrenkis Agala, “failing to stay in a single lane,” police said. When the officers tried to pull him over, the driver accelerated “at a high rate of speed” and ran a red light, according to the department.

Police said they then “disengaged from the chase.” But about one minute later, they saw the Sonic was involved in a single-vehicle crash.

Agala had struck a curb, causing the car to flip and land upright, police said, adding that the car then caught fire with the driver and two passengers inside.

The front-seat passenger was removed from the vehicle, as well as a rear-seat passenger, who police said died at a hospital.

Officers said Agala showed signs of intoxication, including bloodshot eyes and the odor of alcohol on his breath. An open beer bottle also fell out of the car, according to police.

“(Agala) admitted to having alcoholic beverages that day and stated he had, ‘6 or 8 or 12, I don’t know,’” police said.

Agala was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated causing a death and resisting arrest by fleeing, police said.

This story was originally published July 2, 2024 at 3:50 PM with the headline "Man accused in fatal drunk driving crash had ’6 or 8 or 12’ drinks, Missouri cops say."