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Category Archives: Accidents

A motorcyclist died in a crash in Garden Grove early on Saturday morning

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An unidentified 41-year-old motorcyclist died in a crash took place just before 1 a.m., on Saturday, at the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and Palm Street, in Garden Grove, according to the Garden Grove Police Department.

The man died at the scene. The OC Sheriff-Coroner will release his name pending notification of the next of kin.

The police are still investigating the details of the crash.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call GGPD traffic investigator D. Mihalik at 714-741-5925.

Fatal car accident reported in Tustin

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Around 4:15 a.m. on 09/29/21, Tustin police officers responded to a single-vehicle traffic collision in the area of Edinger Ave and Kensington Park Dr.

A vehicle had collided with a traffic light pole and the solo male driver was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information concerning the collision is urged to contact the Traffic Unit at 714-573-3219.

A driver crashed into an OCTA bus and died this morning in Santa Ana

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On Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021 at 8:35 AM, the Santa Ana Police Department received several calls of a traffic collision involving a silver four door sedan and an Orange County Transportation Authority bus at the intersection of 17th Street and Harbor Boulevard. 

Officers responded to the area and located the collision. Orange County Fire Authority personnel responded and began to treat the driver of the sedan before pronouncing him deceased at the scene. 

The preliminary investigation has revealed the sedan was traveling north on Harbor Boulevard approaching 17th Street. The bus was traveling north on Harbor Boulevard and stopped at the bus stop when it was struck by the sedan.
 
The Santa Ana Police Department’s Collision Investigations Unit (CIU) is handling the investigation.  Anyone possibly having information about this collision is asked to contact Investigator L. Bao at (714) 245-8223 or the Santa Ana Police Department’s Traffic Division at (714) 245-8200.

An elderly woman drove off the St. Joseph parking structure and died

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Today at 9:21 a.m., city of Orange police officers were dispatched to a traffic collision at a parking structure at St. Joseph’s Hospital, located at 1142 W. La Veta Avenue.

Officers discovered a 2007 Toyota sedan had crashed through a wall on the fourth floor of the structure and fell to the ground level.

Prior to our arrival, the Toyota was upside down but was turned right-side up by witnesses in the area.

The driver and sole occupant of the Toyota, a female in her seventies, was pronounced deceased at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

Pepper Street was closed south of La Veta Avenue while authorities investigated the car and the crash site Friday afternoon.

The Orange Police Department Major Accident Investigation Team is investigating the collision. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Orange Police Department at 714-744-7444.

A pedestrian was killed by a vehicle at 1st Street and Standard Avenue on Friday night

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On Friday, September 3rd, 2021 at 9:54 PM, the Santa Ana Police Department received a call of a vehicle versus pedestrian traffic collision at 1st Street and Standard Avenue. Officers responded to the area and found an adult male down in the roadway suffering major injuries. Orange County Fire Authority personnel responded and pronounced the male deceased.

The preliminary investigation has revealed the male pedestrian was in the roadway at 900 E. 1st Street. Vehicle #1 was traveling west on 1st Street and struck the male. The vehicle involved in this collision remained at the scene and the driver was cooperative. The driver of the vehicle was not believed to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The sobriety of the pedestrian remains unknown pending the release of the Orange County Coroner’s investigation. The cause of the collision remains under investigation.

The Santa Ana Police Department’s Collision Investigations Unit (CIU) is handling the investigation. Anyone possibly having information about this collision is asked to contact Inv. W. Hadley at (714) 245-8216 or the Santa Ana Police Department’s Traffic Division at (714) 245-8200.

The SAPD is searching for a hit and run driver who hit two pedestrians on 8/26

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On 08/26/2021, at about 10:35 a.m., a suspect vehicle was traveling eastbound on 3rd Street, approaching Western Avenue when it struck a pedestrian causing severe injuries.

The vehicle fled the scene and several minutes later, the same vehicle was seen traveling northbound on Raitt Street and made a ride hand turn onto 7th Street when it struck another pedestrian, causing moderate injuries.

The vehicle continued driving eastbound on 7th Street and fled the scene before police could make contact.

The vehicle and driver are still outstanding.

Anyone with information is asked to please contact Investigator L. Bao 714-245-8223 / lbao@santa-ana.org

A female pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle at 2200 S. Harbor Boulevard

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On Tuesday, August 31, 2021 at 10:22 PM, the Santa Ana Police Department received a call of a female down in the roadway at 2200 S. Harbor Blvd. Officers responded to the area and found an adult female down in the roadway suffering major injuries. Orange County Fire Authority personnel responded and transported the female to Orange County Global Hospital where she was pronounced deceased.

The preliminary investigation has revealed the female pedestrian was in the roadway at 2200 S. Harbor Blvd. Vehicle #1 was traveling north on Harbor Blvd. and struck the female. The vehicle involved in this collision remained at the scene and the driver was cooperative. Alcohol is not believed to have played a role in this collision. The cause of the collision remains under investigation.

The Santa Ana Police Department’s Collision Investigations Unit (CIU) is handling the investigation. Anyone possibly having information about this collision is asked to contact Inv. L. Bao at (714) 245-8217 or the Santa Ana Police Department’s Traffic Division at (714) 245-8200.

A pedestrian was fatally struck by a vehicle last night on S. Harbor Blvd.

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On Monday, August 30, 2021 at 8:21 PM, the Santa Ana Police Department received a call of a female down in the roadway at 800 S. Harbor Blvd. Officers responded to the area and found an adult female down in the roadway suffering major injuries. Orange County Fire Authority personnel responded and began to treat the female before pronouncing her deceased at the scene.

The preliminary investigation has revealed the female pedestrian was in the roadway at 800 S. Harbor Blvd. Vehicle #1 was traveling south on Harbor Blvd. and struck the female. The vehicle involved in this collision remained at the scene and the driver was cooperative. Alcohol is not believed to have played a role in this collision. The cause of the collision remains under investigation.

The Santa Ana Police Department’s Collision Investigations Unit (CIU) is handling the investigation. Anyone possibly having information about this collision is asked to contact Inv. N. Guijarro at (714) 245-8219 or the Santa Ana Police Department’s Traffic Division at (714) 245-8200.

The SAPD is searching for a hit and run driver who seriously injured a pedestrian today

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On Thursday, August 26th, 2021, at approximately 10:51 AM, the Santa Ana Police Department received several calls of a male down in the roadway in the 1700 block of West 3rd Street.

Officers responded to the area and found an adult male down in the roadway suffering major injuries. Orange County Fire Authority personnel responded and began to treat the male. The male pedestrian was transported to an area hospital for further medical treatment where he remains in critical condition.

The preliminary investigation revealed the male was standing next to his parked vehicle when he was struck by a vehicle traveling west on 3rd Street. The vehicle involved was described as a Black 2 door Mercedes with major damage to the front windshield. The Mercedes fled from the scene prior to the officers’ arrival. It remains outstanding and it, along with the driver, remain unidentified. It is unknown if alcohol is to have played a role in this collision. The collision remains under investigation.

The Santa Ana Police Department’s Collision Investigation Unit (CIU) is handling the investigation. Anyone possibly having information about this collision is asked to contact Cpl. D. Carrillo at (714) 245-8208.

Driver convicted of murdering two women in high-speed 2017 DUI crash in Irvine

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SANTA ANA, Calif. – A 26-year-old Irvine man was convicted today of two counts of second-degree murder for killing two women in a high-speed 2017 drunk driving crash in Irvine. The driver had been warned just before the crash that he should not be driving after a night of heavy drinking.

Norman Martin, 26, of Irvine, was convicted of killing Jamie R. Lopez, 26 of Santa Ana, and Nancy A. Ortiz, 26, of Garden Grove both 26, in the July 22, 2017 crash.

He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years to life. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3, 2021 in Department C45 at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana

On July 22, 2017, Ortiz and Lopez agreed to take an Uber with Martin to the home of one of Martin’s friends. Martin diverted the Uber to his home in order to pick his Corvette up and drive Ortiz and Martin to his friend’s home.

At approximately 2:20 a.m., Martin had a blood alcohol content of .11 – more than the legal limit – with Ortiz and Lopez in his two-seat Corvette. Martin was driving 138 miles per hour when he lost control of his vehicle while running a red light at Jamboree and Main Street in Irvine.

The Corvette went airborne and hit numerous objects, including three palm trees. Martin and his two passengers were ejected. Lopez and Ortiz were pronounced dead at the scene.

Martin was taken to a local hospital and treated for his injuries.

Martin was arrested by the Irvine Police Department on December 11, 2018.

“The victims in this case mattered. They mattered to their loved ones, their co-workers, their friends, and they mattered to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol cost the lives of so many innocent people. The two people who lost their lives in this crash are not numbers. They are not statistics. These are real human beings who had their lives and the lives of their loved ones shattered because of the selfish decision of someone to get behind the wheel while intoxicated. If you have been drinking or using drugs, don’t get behind the wheel. The life you may save may be someone else’s or it may be your own. Thank you to the Irvine Police Department and to Senior Deputy District Attorney Eric Scarbrough for fighting for justice for these victims and making sure that every drunk driving victim matters.”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Eric Scarbrough of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.

DUI suspected in evening collision at Edinger Avenue and Corta Drive

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On Wednesday, August 4, 2021 at 8:52 PM, the Santa Ana Police Department received several calls of a traffic collision involving a white van and gray SUV at the intersection of Corta Drive and Edinger Avenue. Officers responded to the area and located the collision. Orange County Fire Authority personnel responded and began to treat both drivers. They were transported to an area hospital for further medical treatment, where the driver of the SUV remains in critical condition.

The preliminary investigation has revealed the SUV was traveling west on Edinger Avenue approaching Corta Drive. The van was traveling east on Edinger Avenue making a left turn onto Corta Drive. As the van made the left turn, it was struck by the SUV.

The driver of the van was identified as Angel Rodriguez from Santa Ana. He was arrested for felony DUI and transported to the Santa Ana Jail for booking.

The Santa Ana Police Department’s Collision Investigations Unit (CIU) is handling the investigation. Anyone possibly having information about this collision is asked to contact Investigator L. Bao at (714) 245-8223 or the Santa Ana Police Department’s Traffic Division at (714) 245-8200.

An O.C. Lyft driver allegedly crashed while asleep behind the wheel and a passenger died

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On April 4, 2021 at approximately 7:00 am, the Tustin Police Department responded to the area of Jamboree Road and Patriot Way regarding a major, solo vehicle traffic collision.

During the preliminary investigation, it was determined the involved driver, a LYFT driver, fell asleep behind the wheel while transporting a customer. The vehicle struck a light pole and caused traumatic injuries to the passenger ultimately resulting in death.

After an extensive investigation by the Tustin Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team, it was determined the driver, 30-year-old Andy Van Pham was driving with negligence resulting in the death of the victim.

On July 20, 2021 the Orange County Superior Court issued an arrest warrant for Pham.

After conducting surveillance, Pham was arrested without incident and booked into Orange County Jail for Vehicular Manslaughter with Ordinary Negligence.

Pham was fired from Lyft and the company said it would assist law enforcement authorities however it can.

Pham pleaded not guilty on Friday to the manslaughter charge, possession of drug paraphernalia, providing false information to a police officer, and making an unsafe turn or lane change,

A man in a wheelchair died after being struck by two vehicles early on Saturday morning in Fountain Valley

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An unidentified man who was trying to cross Euclid Street westbound along Warner Avenue in a wheelchair died after being struck by a minivan and an SUV in Fountain Valley early Saturday morning, July 10, according to the Fountain Valley Police.

The incident happened just past 2:30 a.m. The responding police officers found the victim in the roadway and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The police indicated the man was in his 50’s but did not release his name.

The minivan that hit the victim was traveling northbound on Euclid as was the ensuing SUV.

The drivers of both vehicles stopped and cooperated with the police investigators. The police determined that the drivers they were not driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The police are still not sure if the pedestrian was in a crosswalk when he was struck, or if he was crossing on a red or green light, when the vehicles hit him.

A school bus and a minivan collided in Santa Ana this afternoon

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OCFA firefighters and paramedics tended to six patients at a traffic collision involving a Vista Charter school bus and a minivan this afternoon on S. Daisy Ave and WIllits St. in Santa Ana.

The accident occurred northeast of Jerome Park.

The school bus appears to have run up a curb after the accident.

The victims included one adult and one pediatric patient who were transported as trauma patients to a local hospital. One additional pediatric patient was transported by ambulance. Three additional patients declined transport.