Honeydew man arrested for felony hit and run

On Monday, April 14 at approximately 9 a.m., Matthew Pritchard, age 22, of Honeydew was driving a 1998 Ford Mustang westbound on Mattole Road at a high rate of speed. He failed to properly reduce his speed for a sharp left hand curve in the roadway, just east of the town of Honeydew and Burrell Road.

Pritchard allowed the car to exit the roadway to the south, becoming airborne, striking a large oak tree approximately six feet above the ground.

Pritchard, as well as both his passengers, were unrestrained inside the car. Both passengers suffered major injuries. The right front passenger, Fernando Lozano, age 31, of Honeydew suffered two broken arms and was transported to St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka. The rear passenger, Peter C. Lorentzen, age 34, of Honeydew, was airlifted to Mercy Hospital in Redding with major head injuries.

Pritchard fled the scene of the collision and was not located initially. He was later identified as the driver and on April 16 was arrested for felony hit and run, fleeing, and causing injuries to others.