Monica Yvette Lupercio, 20, Carlos Kristopher Vargas, 20, killed, Mario Alberto Casteneda Carranza, 26, injured, arrested on multiple charges, after their car goes out of control on westbound I-8 in Lakeside, and crashes into a concrete culver

A 26-year-old man accused of crashing his vehicle on a freeway near Lakeside, killing two passengers, has been charged with murder because he had a previous conviction for drunken driving.

Mario Alberto Casteneda Carranza pleaded not guilty Wednesday to murder and other felony charges, including gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, DUI and cocaine possession. His bail was set at $1 million. If convicted in Superior Court, he could be sentenced to 30 years to life in prison.

Carranza was driving west on Interstate 8 near Lake Jennings Park Road on Saturday when he drifted onto the center divider about 7:30 a.m., then over corrected to the right, the California Highway Patrol said. He lost control of the Nissan he was driving, and smashed through a chain-link fence. The vehicle landed at the mouth of a concrete culvert.

His two passengers, Carlos Kristopher Vargas and Monica Yvette Lupercio, both 20, died in the crash. Carranza was sent to a hospital.

Because Carranza has a 2007 DUI conviction, prosecutors filed murder charges — in addition to manslaughter — contending that the previous conviction shows he was aware driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs could lead to serious injury or death.

Deputy District Attorney Douglas Rose said hospital records showed Carranza’s blood alcohol content measured more than .30 percent, well over the legal threshold of .08 percent.