Alleged drunken driver hits Atwater pizza business and vehicle

A suspected drunken driver hit an Atwater pizza restaurant before he allegedly drove off and struck a vehicle, which then damaged a residence.

California Highway Patrol officers say they were called to the Little Ceasars Pizza restaurant about 11 p.m. Saturday to respond to a hit-and-run collision. While the officers were en route, CHP dispatch advised them that the driver had collided with another vehicle, according to a report.

Officers found the vehicle and driver in the 2400 block of Brownell Street. The vehicle had hit a vehicle in a driveway, which then damaged the residence.

Driver Sergio Ochoa, 48, suffered unknown injuries from the collision and was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, the report said. He was taken to Mercy Medical Center in Merced and subsequently cited on suspicion of driving under the influence. He was released to the hospital for treatment.

As CHP officers were investigating the collision, another accident occurred when a driver passing through the Little Ceasars parking lot hit their parked patrol vehicle. The collision caused minor damage. The CHP responded and handled the investigation, the report said.

This story was originally published May 1, 2016 at 5:04 PM with the headline "Alleged drunken driver hits Atwater pizza business and vehicle."