Six people were injured, one critically, in a suspected drunk-driving crash in Desert Hot Springs Thursday evening. According to police, Brandon Byars, 23, of Palm Desert was driving a van when he struck a pick-up truck at the intersection of Ironwood Drive and La Mesa Drive about 8:20 p.m. Witnesses said Byars tried to flee after the crash, but they were able to restrain him until police arrived. One passenger was critically injured; a woman suffered moderate injuries. Three juveniles and a man driving them received minor injuries and were treated at the scene and released. Debris from the crash damaged another vehicle parked in a driveway nearby. Brandon Byars was arrested for investigation of driving under the influence causing injury, and four counts of reckless driving causing great bodily injury. He was booked into the Riverside County Jail in Indio with his bail set at $250,000.
