CASTAIC, CA (November 11, 2025) — A 61-year-old man was ejected from his vehicle and killed in a crash involving a suspected drunk driver on the northbound 5 Freeway Saturday night. The Los Angeles County Coroner identified the victim as Bulmaro Alvarez Chavez.
Accident Details: The California Highway Patrol responded around 11:10 p.m. Saturday to a multiple vehicle crash on northbound Interstate 5, north of Templin Highway in Castaic. When officers arrived, they found Alvarez Chavez, who was driving a white Jeep Cherokee, ejected from his vehicle. He had sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene.
The driver of a silver Toyota Camry was identified as 21-year-old Martin Enrique Cazares from Wasco. Officers contacted Cazares at the scene, and he was arrested at the conclusion of the investigation. Cazares was booked into the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station jail for felony DUI and felony vehicular manslaughter.
A GoFundMe created for Alvarez Chavez’s family said, “We will all deeply miss you, Papa. You were the pillar of our lives, and we are stronger than ever now.”
Investigation: The California Highway Patrol’s Newhall Area Office is investigating the crash. Officers determined that Cazares was driving under the influence and was the at-fault driver in the collision that caused Alvarez Chavez to be ejected from his Jeep.
The CHP’s website indicated traffic was stopped for about an hour following the crash. Anyone with information regarding the crash is asked to call the CHP Newhall Area Office at (661) 600-1600.
“This tragic crash is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of driving under the influence. One person’s reckless decision has cost an innocent life. The CHP Newhall Area remains committed to removing impaired drivers from our roadways and ensuring that families don’t have to experience this kind of heartbreak,” said Lieutenant Munoz, acting CHP Newhall Area Commander.
Legal Considerations: Vehicle ejections in crashes almost always result in fatal injuries, as occupants thrown from their vehicles are left completely unprotected upon impact with the roadway or surrounding objects. When a drunk driver causes a crash that results in ejection and death, California law authorizes felony charges including vehicular manslaughter and DUI causing death.
Drunk driving crashes differ from other negligence cases because they involve willful misconduct—a conscious choice to drive while impaired. This distinction allows families pursuing wrongful death claims to seek punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages for their losses.
Punitive damages punish the defendant for egregious conduct and deter others from similar behavior. Combined with compensation for funeral costs, medical expenses, and loss of financial support and companionship, these claims provide families with both financial recovery and a measure of justice.
The criminal case against Cazares will proceed through the court system independently of any civil wrongful death claim filed by Alvarez Chavez’s family.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Bulmaro Alvarez Chavez as they remember the pillar of their family.
Source: BakersfieldNow / Hometown Station