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Corvette Test Drive Turns Deadly, Union City Man Arrested

UNION CITY (KPIX 5) – A man from Union City is in police custody after police said he took a wild test drive in Southern California that left a car salesman dead.

According to police, 28-year-old Alex Demetro took out a red Chevrolet Corvette on a test drive Tuesday from a Carmax dealership in Ontario, about 40 miles east of Los Angeles.

Police said Demetro, who was high on drugs, began to speed and lost control of the Corvette. The car crashed into a tree, killing salesman Warren Smale.

Smale's co-workers held a vigil at the dealership Wednesday night.

"He was amazing, an amazing, amazing person. He was like a father to all of us, that's why we're all here together," said Artiee Guerrero. "We're all family."

Demetro was arrested and charged with vehicular manslaughter and felony driving under the influence of drugs.

In a statement to KPIX 5, Carmax officials said their hearts and prayers go out to their associate's family.

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