Child injured, gelato shop destroyed in Encinitas crash involving DUI driver

ENCINITAS, Calif. (FOX5/KUSI) — A serious crash in downtown Encinitas sent a child to the hospital and left a popular gelato shop in ruins, sparking renewed calls for safer streets.

Deputies with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department say a 64-year-old man rear-ended a vehicle on South Coast Highway 101 Wednesday evening before veering off the road and crashing into Gelato 101.

Inside the shop, a young boy was hit and pinned beneath the truck. First responders freed him, and he is now recovering from a broken arm at Rady Children’s Hospital.

The driver, identified as Edward De La Torre, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Witnesses described the terrifying moment.

“The next thing I heard was the crash, I could hear the revving,” one person recalled.

While this was DUI-related, street safety advocates said this crash still highlights a troubling trend. Safe Streets Encinitas, a local activist group, pointed to the death of 15-year-old Emery Chalekian, who was hit and killed while legally crossing a crosswalk earlier this year.

Melissa Scharbarth, one of the founders of Safe Streets Encinitas, said Thursday would have been Emery's birthday.

“Enough is enough. I want Encinitas to be a place where drivers take pause and think about their behavior,” Scharbarth said.

The group argues that stronger safety measures, such as red-light cameras and traffic calming improvements, could help prevent future tragedies.

“The data is clear. Red light cameras save lives. If you get a ticket, you’re more likely to not run red lights anymore,” Laura Van Dusen added.

Van Dusen is also one of the founders of Safe Streets Encinitas, and said they are rallying behind the boy’s recovery, while pressing city leaders to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety.