Newport man’s fatal crash under review

Authorities are investigating whether a Newport Beach man was drunk when he rolled his SUV in San Luis Obispo County, killing one of the vehicle’s passengers, officials said Tuesday.

Kurt Naegele, 40, was arrested on suspicion of DUI about midnight Sept. 18 in Templeton, when his 2009 Range Rover crashed on a Hearst Corp. ranch. Published reports said Naegele drove his SUV off the edge of a runway there in heavy fog.

Darren Dahlman, 38, of Pasadena, was killed. He was not wearing his seat belt, authorities said. Naegele and two other passengers suffered serious injuries and were taken to local hospitals.

The crash was only a few miles from Hearst Castle, according to reports.

— Joseph Serna