Convicted DUI driver charged in deadly Pittsburg crash

MARTINEZ, Calif. - A man who was on probation for drunken driving has been charged with murder for a Northern California crash that killed two people, including a 7-year-old girl, and injured four others.

Christian Vargas, 24, was charged Thursday with two murder counts, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury within 10 years of another DUI offense and driving with a .08% blood alcohol content causing injury within 10 years of another DUI offense.

It wasn't immediately clear whether he had an attorney to speak on his behalf.

Vargas had a bottle of alcohol in his Chevy Camaro when it rammed a Toyota Corolla from behind Monday evening in Pittsburg, authorities said.

Romero Castro was driving home and his girlfriend's three children were in the Corolla when it was struck, authorities said. The car went through several trees and the children were thrown from the vehicle. A car seat containing one child was ejected, authorities said.

Castro and a 7-year-old girl died, while her brothers, ages 2 and 4, received serious injuries and were hospitalized.

Two passengers in Vargas’ car, one of them a 10-year-old child, also were hospitalized with serious injuries.