Emergency responders used the Jaws of Life to extricate a victim from a wrecked vehicle after a possible DUI crash on Friars Road in Mission Valley on October 9, 2024.
According to San Diego Police, the collision involving a pickup truck and a small white car happened on westbound Friars Road near Mission Center Road just before 11 p.m. According to witnesses, the force of the collision caused the white car to slam into a light, leaving the driver trapped inside.
After being pulled from the wreckage by emergency crews, the driver was taken to the hospital with serious back injuries. Authorities arrested the truck driver on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Initially, the Presidio and Mission were located at the western end of Mission Valley, which is now present-day Old Town, where the valley opens out into the floodplain of the San Diego River. In 1774, the Mission was moved to its present location at the eastern end of Mission Valley because of better access to fresh water for drinking and farming.
Many residents may be more familiar with Mission Valley’s recent architectural history. Westgate Park, a baseball stadium for the then-minor-league San Diego Padres, was built in Mission Valley in 1957. In 1967, San Diego Stadium (later renamed Jack Murphy Stadium, then Qualcomm Stadium, then SDCCU Stadium) was opened, and the Padres moved there, becoming a major league team the following year.