Rear End

Two women were killed Friday morning when their car went up in flames after being pushed over the center divider of the Santa Ana Freeway in Anaheim. According to the California Highway Patrol, the unidentified women were in a Honda Civic traveling north in the far left lane near the Riverside Freeway about 11 a.m. when traffic suddenly slowed. To avoid the car ahead, the driver swerved to the left.

An Agoura Hills woman was arrested Monday on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in connection with the death of a Westlake High School student, who died last month after her vehicle was struck while idling at a red light. Diana Shakov, 31, was arrested at her home by Ventura County sheriff's deputies after a month-long investigation.

An infant was killed and a toddler critically injured Wednesday when the car they were riding in was rear-ended at a Los Angeles traffic light. The children were in a Nissan Sentra stopped at Vermont Avenue and 76th Street just after 2 p.m. when a sport utility vehicle struck, pushing the car about 180 feet, police said. Officials did not know if the children were in car seats.

A Lancaster woman and her son were killed and her daughter was seriously injured in a fiery collision on Sierra Highway in Palmdale, after their car was rear-ended and sent into oncoming traffic, authorities said. Myrna Bernardi, 28, and Kaylen Culver, 8, died at the scene after Bernardi's car was crushed Wednesday night by a 1-ton Dodge pickup, a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy said.

Aston Martin is set to tease fans next month with the world debut in Los Angeles of a two-seat, aluminum, concept car based on the DB7 Vantage Volante and aimed specifically at the American market. The Volante is a ragtop convertible, but Aston Martin says the concept car -- dubbed the DB AR1, (for American Roadster) -- will have a heavily revised aluminum bodywork by Italian design house Zagato.

Two men died late Sunday when their car was rear-ended and overturned on the San Diego Freeway in Seal Beach, authorities said. The men were in a 1983 Toyota Cressida traveling north in the fast lane when a 2001 Mercedes struck the car from behind, causing it to roll over. The driver, Miguel Romera Garcia, 34, of Santa Ana, was declared dead at the scene of the 11:15 p.m. crash just north of 7th Street. His 40-year-old passenger also died at the scene.

A Westminster policeman was injured early Saturday after a suspected drunk driver smashed his patrol car from behind, authorities said. Sgt. Jack Davidson was stopped at a light on Beach Boulevard at Westminster Avenue at 1:13 a.m. when a car reportedly traveling about 65 mph slammed into Davidson's car. The driver, John Ferrell, whose 34th birthday is today, was hospitalized at Western Medical Center-Anaheim in critical condition. He was arrested on suspicion of felony drunk driving.

Two San Fernando Valley men died Thursday when their car slammed into a truck that had stalled on the Ronald Reagan Freeway, snarling morning traffic for nearly four hours, officials said. The car rear-ended the truck, which was stopped in a westbound lane after having mechanical problems.

A crash between a van carrying tree trimmers and a big rig in Moorpark injured 11 people early Monday and closed the northbound lane of California 23 until midafternoon. The van, carrying 10 people, was heading west on the highway near Fruitvale Avenue about 7:30 a.m. when it slowed to make a left turn. A double-trailer truck going about 45 mph braked but hit the rear of the van, said California Highway Patrol spokesman David Webb.

The day of our first rain this season, I had my first auto accident. The jolt to the car was significant, but even more so was the education I got. The Toyota Corolla I was driving, with my mother as passenger, was rammed by another Corolla. The impact mangled the rear of the car, pushing most of the metal into the trunk. Almost before the cars stopped rocking, people were pushing business cards for auto body shops through the car windows and offering to "help."