Advertisement
 
YOU ARE HERE: LAT HomeCollectionsFugitives
(Page 3 of 3)

Van in Crash Failed Safety Check : Tragedy: Church vehicle involved in deadliest Orange County collision had even been ordered off the road.

September 22, 1992|ERIC BAILEY | TIMES STAFF WRITER

Sunday's downtown Santa Ana crash was the deadliest traffic accident in Orange County history.

Killed:

Sonia Castro, 30, Santa Ana; housecleaner

Rutilia Oliva, 31, Garden Grove; about 8 months' pregnant

Her fetus, listed as fetus Oliva

Her son, Carlos Oliva, 5, Garden Grove; just started kindergarten

Her son, Daniel Oliva, 2, Garden Grove; died at hospital

Ericka Mendez, 16, Garden Grove; junior at Santiago High School

Julio Guzman, 27, Santa Ana; dishwasher

Iris Roman, 13, Santa Ana; seventh-grader at Willard Intermediate School in Santa Ana

Hospitalized are:

Mainor Mendez, 11, Garden Grove; in critical but improving condition at UCI Medical Center in Orange

Mirtala Castro Lopez, 50, Santa Ana; in critical condition in intensive care unit of Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center in Mission Viejo

Glenda Aguirre, 21, Westminster; in stable condition in intensive care unit of Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center

Others injured or involved in the crash:

Edras Mendez, 12, Garden Grove; treated for leg and rib injuries at Western Medical Center-Santa Ana and released

His brother Alvaro Mendez, 14, Garden Grove; treated for injuries and released

Saul Sandoval, 22, Garden Grove; treated and released for minor injuries at Coastal Communities Hospital in Santa Ana

His daughter, Cristina Sandoval, 4; treated and released for cuts and bruises at Coastal Communities Hospital

Dolores Martinez, 45, Garden Grove; had cut lip but didn't go to hospital

Her grandson, Alexander Noel Martinez; treated and released for cuts and bruises at Coastal Communities Hospital

Sandra Guzman, 30, Santa Ana; treated at Doctors Hospital of Santa Ana for injured ear and shoulder and released

Octavio Valentin, 55, Santa Ana pastor and driver of church van; treated for bruises

Jasmine Martinez, 4, Garden Grove

Kurt A. Sense, 38, Santa Ana; drove BMW involved in crash, was not injured

His 11-year-old son not injured

Researched by KRISTINA LINDGREN and THUAN LE / Los Angeles Times

Crash Scenario Emerges

As details of Sunday's tragedy in downtown Santa Ana became known, the lack of seat belts in an overloaded van were seen as contributing to Orange County's worst traffic accident.

As of Monday

Eight people killed, including unborn child; six from one Garden Grove family; three other relatives in critical condition.

Police seeking driver of white Chevrolet pickup truck who fled scene.

CHP accident team called in by Santa Ana police to help reconstruct crash.

Church's Ford Econoline van cited by CHP a year ago for mechanical problems.

How Collision Occurred 1. Van probably had green light. Approaching pickup truck, BMW probably not traveling at high speed. 2. Van struck by pickup, spins perhaps several times; those in back thrown against rear doors, which burst open. 3. 11 van passengers thrown out, one a pregnant mother in eighth month. She, her unborn child, six others die. Van driver, 10 others treated for injuries.

Inside Ford Econoline Van Only factory-installed seating in front portion had seat belts; only the driver known to be wearing one. Makeshift seats not bolted to floor.

Van carried 18 people--a look at how they may have been seated.

Doors fly open during accident; unknown if they were locked; one bench cushion flies out.

Source: Santa Ana Police Department

Researched by DANNY SULLIVAN and KRISTINA LINDGREN / Los Angeles Times

Advertisement
Los Angeles Times Articles
|
|
|