2 Arrested for Murder following Fatal Traffic Collision
WEST COVINA - On December 25, 2012 at about 9:00pm, West Covina Police received several 9-1-1 calls regarding a traffic collision that occurred in the intersection of Lark Ellen and Merced Avenue, West Covina. When officers arrived, they found a silver Mitsubishi Eclipse had collided into a white Dodge Caravan in the intersection. The victim, A 90-year-old resident of West Covina who was a passenger in the Dodge Caravan was ejected from the van and was located on the sidewalk. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim had been seated in a wheelchair which was secured in the van.
The driver of the van suffered head trauma and was transported to LA USC Medical Center. He is the son of the victim. Both were returning home from the Queen of the Valley Hospital where the victim had just been released when the collision occurred. The driver of the Eclipse, Vincent Lopez, 30 of Rialto was also injured and was also transported to the same hospital with leg injuries.
Witnesses reported seeing the Eclipse racing with a red, Ford Escort southbound on Lark Ellen. At one point both vehicles failed to stop at the stop sign at Vine Avenue prior to the collision at Merced. The investigation went through the night and led Detectives to a location in Pomona where the 2nd vehicle driver was also arrested. He is identified as Victor Hugo Sanchez, 34 of Rialto. Both Lopez and Sanchez have been booked for Murder. Lopez was additionally booked for Suspicion of Felony Driving Under the Influence.
The West Covina Police are looking for witnesses that may have seen the two vehicles involved in the racing and collision. The occupants of both vehicles had been at a local bar located in the 200 block of South Glendora Avenue prior. They travelled south on Lark Ellen sometime between 8:30pm and 9:00pm. If you have any information, you are asked to contact the West Covina Police Department at 626 939-8500.
WEST COVINA — A woman and her 8-month-old child suffered moderate injuries when the vehicle they were in collided with two trucks on the San Bernardino (10) Freeway near Azusa Avenue.The vehicle was traveling between two double tractor-trailer rigs, all in the same lane, when traffic stopped and it ran into the back of the truck in front and the second truck struck the back of the Ford Taurus. It took West Covina firefighters 15 minutes to free the child who was saved by her car seat, and 30 minutes to extricate the mother. The woman was airlifted to Long Beach Memorial Hospital and the infant was airlifted to Los Angeles Children's Hospital, both with multiple injuries including broken bones and both are expected to fully recover. Video shows accident scene with mother trapped in car while rescuers work to free her from wreckage, then both victims receiving aid and being moved to ambulances. TRT 7 minutes.
INDUSTRY - A female in her 30’s was struck and critically injured as she crossed a railroad bridge over the San Gabriel River in the City of Industry. The woman and 2 companions were crossing the bridge, which is designed for train traffic only. A freight train approached but they could not outrun the train and one female was struck and then dragged for about 20 feet. She was transported to LAC/USC trauma center with multiple head injuries and abrasions all over her body. Video shows the accident scene with shots of the victim being removed from the train trestle and being placed in an ambulance. Also seen are Firefighters, Sheriff Deputies and railroad officials conducting interviews and investigating the accident scene. With SOT from an LA County Fire Rescue Engineer. Total running time of tape is 8 minutes.
San Dimas Bonelli Park Plane Crash SAN DIMAS – A twin-engine Cessna crashed into a crowded picnic area of Bonelli Regional Park killing 4 people and injuring as many as 12 others. The privately owned pleasure aircraft had just departed Brackett Field in La Verne and developed an engine problem, loss altitude and clipped a tree as it careened into a crowd gathered at the lakeside picnic area. Nine minutes of dramatic footage show rescue efforts by firefighters, paramedics, lifeguards, and Sheriff Deputies giving CPR and other aid to the many victims. Video shows wreckage of the aircraft, various plane parts and the chaotic scene of the crash and triage areas with an SOT bite from an eyewitness. This raw footage may be disturbing. TRT 9 minutes
SUV Crash Pins Employee Against Wall LOS ANGELES – A Sport Utility Vehicle went out of control in the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles and crashed into a barbershop on Vernon Blvd. The SUV pinned a male employee to the exterior wall of the building who was later rescued by LA City Fire Rescue workers after 5 minutes. The employee suffered two crushed legs and was transported to Martin Luther King Hospital in Willowbrook. There were 3 other injuries including the driver of the vehicle who is also being investigated for possible driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Dramatic footage begins just as rescuers arrive and begin the delicate task of removing the trapped victim from the wall and rendering treatment. Also includes all other victims receiving medical aid and being transported to hospitals.
Pregnant Woman Saved But Companion Dies DIAMOND BAR -- A pregnant Pomona woman survived a freeway traffic collision that claimed the life of her 43-year-old companion is in guarded but stable condition at Los Angeles County Drew-King Medical Center in Los Angeles, where she was airlifted from the accident site on the Orange (57) Freeway. Her companion was pronounced dead at the scene of the 11:10 a.m. auto accident by firefighters, who spent nearly an hour freeing her from the wreckage of the couple's 1987 Hyundai. The couple's car overturned after a big rig struck it. Dramatic video shows the firefighters working against the clock to extricate the pregnant woman from the completely destroyed car but who first had to remove her deceased companion from covering her. Sound bites from eyewitnesses and California Highway Patrol officials in English and Spanish.
Driver Pulled to Safety By Deputy HACIENDA HEIGHTS - A deputy pulled a driver from his crashed car before it burst into flames. The CHP said the man didn't have significant injuries but was taken to the hospital as a precaution. The sheriff's Industry Station got a call about a car hitting a tree in the 1400 block of 7th Avenue. Deputy Abel Jimenez saw smoke and sparks coming from under the hood of the car, removed the semiconscious driver's seat belt and took him out of the vehicle. Another man helped Jimenez move the driver away from the car. Moments later, the Honda Civic exploded in flames.
