20 Suspected Drunk Drivers Arrested

Authorities on Sunday said they have arrested 20 motorists on suspicion of drunk driving since the start of the Fourth of July weekend. They also reported two serious accidents.

Motorists were arrested between 6 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Sunday, California Highway Patrol officials said.

At least one major injury accident that occurred in Westlake on Saturday may have been alcohol-related, authorities said.

Eric Visser, 29, of Thousand Oaks was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving after his car collided with one driven by Corey Klein, 16, of Westlake Village, authorities said.

The accident occurred about 4 p.m. at Westlake Boulevard and Potrero Road. Visser’s passenger, Elise Phillips, received major injuries, authorities said. She was listed Sunday in fair condition at Westlake Medical Center.

Visser was being held on $5,000 bail at Ventura County Jail on Sunday. He is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.

In another major injury accident Saturday, a car driving west on California 126 east of Hopper Canyon Road caused a two-vehicle crash and left the scene, authorities said.

Six people were injured in the head-on collision that occurred about 7:15 p.m., the CHP said. An older-model white or yellow Honda Civic driving west on California 126 swerved into the eastbound lanes, causing the other driver to turn sharply to the right to avoid an accident.

Mary Geraze, 43, of Valencia then lost control and her car swerved into the westbound lanes and hit a car driven by Robert Urger, 30, of North Hollywood. The Honda fled, traveling west on California 126 toward Fillmore, the CHP said.

Officials at Santa Paula Hospital and Ventura County Medical Center said Sunday that the two drivers and their passengers were all in good or fair condition.