A Santa Ana man was killed after stepping out of a disabled vehicle on the 22 Freeway

Raul Vazquez Jr., 50, of Santa Ana, was killed on Thursday morning when he was struck by a vehicle when he got out of a disabled car on the Garden Grove (22) Freeway, according to the Fountain Valley Patch.

Charlotte Nugent, 68, of Seal Beach, died at UCI Medical Center in Orange at 9:37 a.m. She was driving one of the vehicles that crashed, according to the O.C. Coroner.

Three people were injured in the accident and two of them were rushed to a trauma center after the crash happened at 7 a.m. on the eastbound 22 Freeway, near Beach Blvd., according to the Garden Grove Fire Department.

One of our readers contacted us to say that the media got the story incorrect. According to our reader Nugent had rear-ended a white pick up truck. Her car ended up facing north to south on the freeway. The pick-up truck was rendered disabled, on the shoulder of the freeway.

Vazquez and a friend where driving in his black F-150 truck. When they saw Nugent waving at all the cars to help her,  Vazquez pulled to the shoulder and stopped to help her to get out. Nugent was very badly hurt. While Vazquez was trying to get her out of her car another car that was driving very fast ran into him as the driver did not see the accident and could not stop in time.

Nugent’s car spun and came to a stop facing south to north after that second collision and Vazquez lost his life. Nugent was eventually removed from the car by the fire department.

The fire department crew that first arrived at the scene of the three-vehicle collision found that the accident began with a disabled car on the shoulder.

Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.
Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

View Comments

  • The story being say about this accident is very incorrect.
    Mrs. Charlotte Nugent had rear ended a white pick up truck. Her car was facing north to south on the freeway. The pick up truck was on the shoulder disable.
    Raul Vazquez and his friend where driving in his black F150 truck. When they saw the lady waving at all the cars to help her. He pull to the shoulder and stop to helper get out. Raul try to get the lady out of her car. But she was hurt very badly. While Raul friend wave at the cars to help. When suddenly another car driving so fast did not see the accident and hit Mrs. Nugent car the spin and now the car is facing south to north. But Raul lost his life Mrs. Nugent was remove from the car by the fire department.

    The only reason why I writing this is because Raul is great human being and he stop to help and lost his life.

    Please correct the story.

    • I am so sorry to hear about your friend Raul. He died a hero. I cannot understand why people drive way beyond the speed limit and drive so careless. Another precious life was lost because of this. California should have flashing lights on the roads that say WATCH YOUR SPEED SLOW DOWN.

  • I am in the same line of work as Raul. Though I only knew him a short time I found him to be a very caring and family oriented person. So tragic to lose a life in any manner let alone while helping someone he had never met. Prayers out to his family.

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