A motorist who allegedly was drunk when he got behind the wheel of an SUV that crashed at a Clairemont-area freeway interchange, killing three of five passengers, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and DUI causing injury.

William Daniel Cady, 25, was ordered held on $2 million bail in the Friday night crash on the connector from northbound Interstate 805 to westbound state Route 52.

Deputy District Attorney Makenzie Harvey told Judge Charles Rogers that Cady and four companions were drinking at a friend’s house, then at a bar in Clairemont Mesa Friday night.