Driver who struck teenage girls posts bail

Bryce Alderton

No charges have been filed against James Paul Bell, Jr. the driver

police suspected of being drunk when he fatally collided with a car

carrying three Huntington Beach teens.

Bell, 27, of Rowland Heights, posted $250,000 in bail March 27, said

Tori Richards, spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney’s

office.

Bell was released from the USC Medical Center in Los Angeles March 27,

according to hospital officials.

Huntington Beach Police officers arrested Bell on suspicion of felony

drunk driving after the March 20 collision with the silver Nissan Sentra

carrying Jillian Baedeker and Chelsea Toma, both 19, and 18-year-old

Nancy Le.

Police would not release Bell’s blood-alcohol level.

Police continue to interview witnesses and ask that anyone with

additional information come forward.

“It’s been a traumatic event for everybody,” said investigator Robert

Barr.

Police hope to complete the investigation in a couple weeks.

“It may take a little longer because we have to make sure we haven’t

left any stone unturned,” Barr said.