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Category Archives: Accidents

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.

Truck driver arrested after a fatal DUI collision with a pedestrian in Orange

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A 19-year-old male pedestrian died from his injuries after he was struck by a suspected DUI driver.

Last night at approximately 10:09 p.m., the Orange Police Department and Orange Fire responded to a traffic collision involving a pedestrian and a pickup truck. The collision occurred in the crosswalk at the intersection of Tustin Street and Heim Avenue. A witness reported the truck was driving south on Tustin Street and failed to stop for the red light at Heim Avenue.

The pedestrian, a resident of Orange, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the truck, 39-year-old Sitani Pinomi from Orange, remained on scene. Officers determined Pinomi was impaired as a result of alcohol intoxication. Pinomi was arrested for DUI and driving on a suspended license. Based on a prior conviction of DUI, Pinomi was booked at Orange County Jail for murder.

Orange Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team is investigating this case. Anyone with information should contact Motor Officer Suarez at 714-744-7342.

There were fatal car accidents today in Tustin and in Costa Mesa

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A car accident claimed the life an an Irvine man this morning, Sunday, May 9, in Tustin.

The Tustin police responded to the accident scene at Moffett Drive, beneath the Jamboree Road underpass, at about 11:50 a.m.

The responding police officers found a vehicle with major front-end damage. Inside the vehicle they found a 67-year-old man who was unresponsive.

The driver was declared dead at the scene of the crash by responding paramedics. The police are withholding his name  pending the notification of relatives.

Tustin police investigators believe the vehicle was headed east when it crashed. At this time they do not suspect drugs or alcohol were involved in the collision. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

At about 1:54pm, the Costa Mesa Police Department responded to a fatal traffic collision at Bear & Sunflower involving 3 vehicles, including one rollover.

A 54-yr-old man has died at the scene. No other major injuries reported. Traffic was diverted. Residents were encouraged to find alternate routes and avoid the area.

The police did not announce the name of the accident victim.

The Costa Mesa police arrested a DUI driver after a rollover accident

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This morning at about 7:50 a.m., Costa Mesa police officers responded to a rollover traffic collision in front of Costa Mesa High School.

The 64-year-old female driver of the blue sedan had been weaving through traffic on Fairview Road, clipped another vehicle, lost control, and rolled over onto its roof.

The driver and adult male passenger climbed out on their own and the driver was transported to a nearby hospital by Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue for what are believed to be minor injuries.

She displayed signs and symptoms of drug and alcohol impairment and was subsequently arrested for DUI.

Traffic on Fairview Road was congested due to the fact that school was starting.

Luckily, no one was seriously injured and no students were involved in the collision.

A male pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle in Santa Ana last night

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On Monday, April 26th, 2021 at 10:28 PM, the Santa Ana Police Department received several calls of a male down in the roadway at the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and 1st Street. Officers responded to the area and found a male down in the roadway suffering major injuries.

Orange County Fire Authority personnel responded and began to treat the male at the scene. The male was transported to an area hospital for further treatment where he was subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital personnel.

The preliminary investigation has revealed the male pedestrian was crossing 1st Street just east of Harbor Blvd. when he was struck by the vehicle which was headed west on 1st Street. The motorist who was operating the vehicle remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation. Alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the collision.

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) 245-8223 or the Santa Ana Police Department’s Traffic Division at (714) 245-8200.

A woman was struck by a car and killed last night in Santa Ana

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On Friday, April 16th, 2021 at 7:47 PM, the Santa Ana Police Department received several calls of a female down in the roadway in the 3600 block of W. 1st St. Officers responded to the area and found a female down in the roadway suffering major injuries. Orange County Fire Authority personnel responded and began to treat the female at the scene. The female was transported to an area hospital for further treatment where she was subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital personnel.

The preliminary investigation has revealed the female pedestrian was crossing 1st Street just west of Bewley Street when she was struck by the vehicle which was headed west on 1stStreet. The motorist who was operating the vehicle remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation. Alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the collision.

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.

Suspect wanted for a fatal hit and run traffic collision in Santa Ana

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On Friday, July 17th, 2020 at approximately 9:25 PM, the Santa Ana Police Department received several calls of a male down in the roadway at the intersection of Harbor Blvd and McFadden Ave. Officers responded to the area and found a male down in the roadway suffering major injuries. Orange County Fire Authority personnel responded and began to treat the male before pronouncing him deceased at the scene.

The preliminary investigation has revealed the male was standing on the center median of McFadden Ave when he was struck by a vehicle headed west. The vehicle involved 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.

Possible Vehicle Description: White 2014 or newer Toyota Highlander. The vehicle will likely have damage to the front driver side of the bumper and undercarriage.

Anyone with information on the identity/whereabouts of the suspect/vehicle is asked to contact Corporal Quinones at NQuinones@santa-ana.org or (714) 245-8701.

Man with prior DUI convictions charged again after a fatal DUI crash in Newport Beach

Posted on by Posted in Accidents, Alcohol, Costa Mesa, Crime, Newport Beach, OCDA, Public Safety 1 Comment

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A 28-year-old Costa Mesa man charged with murder for killing Richard Frost, 74, of Newport Beacha while driving under the influence had three prior driving under the influence convictions and was wanted on warrants on two other driving under the influence cases. He has also been charged in a hit-and-run that occurred shortly before the fatal collision.

Stewart Waithanji was arrested by Costa Mesa police at a nearby bar parking lot shortly after the hit-and-run collision that left the 74-year-old man dead.

Waithanji has been charged with one felony count of murder, one felony count of driving under the influence, one felony count of driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or higher, and two misdemeanor counts of hit and run.

Prosecutors have asked for an increased bail of $2 million. He faces a maximum sentence of life if convicted on all charges.

Around 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 10, 2021, Costa Mesa police were called to the scene of a hit-and-run accident on Newport Boulevard south of 17th Street with witnesses attempting stop the driver from leaving the scene. Officers found an injured 74-year-old man in the street. The man was treated by paramedics and taken to a local hospital where he died.

Witnesses reported the victim was attempting to stop the driver of a silver Chevy Malibu from leaving the scene when he was struck. The driver, later identified as Waithanji, continued driving. He was arrested a short time later in the parking lot of a Los Alamitos bar.

Waithanji was wanted on a warrant on a September 2019 driving under the influence case and also on second warrant for an October 2019 driving under the influence case. He has three prior driving under the influence convictions in Iowa.

“The life of a human being is not something to be discarded and thrown away; a life is something to be celebrated, treasured, and lived to the very fullest,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “Yet, a 74-year-old man was left for dead in the middle of the street, tossed aside as if he never mattered, because of the selfish decision of a stranger to get behind the wheel while intoxicated. His life may not have mattered to the driver who left him for dead, but it matters to me and it matters to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. And we will fight for justice for him and everyone who loved him.”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Heather Brown of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.

A serious car accident occurred this afternoon near Carl Thornton Park

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An MCI (Multi-Casualty Incident) was declared after a two-vehicle traffic collision at W. Segerstrom/S. Raitt in
Santa Ana this afternoon, by the OCFA. The collision occurred about a block west of Carl Thornton Park.

The MCI involved up to nine people. Two of the victims were treated/transported by paramedics to local trauma centers.

The Fountain Valley Fire Dept. assisted at the scene.

A little boy was fatally struck by an SUV at a Garden Grove park

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Garden Grove police officers and the Orange County Fire Authority were dispatched to a traffic collision that occurred at the Haster Basin Park, located at 12952 Lampson Ave. on the evening of March 18. The collision involved a small SUV and a 6-year-old boy.

The vehicle was traveling in the parking lot when it struck the child. The boy was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

Members of the Garden Grove Police Department Traffic Unit responded to the scene and conducted an investigation. The driver of the SUV remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.

The vehicle has been impounded for evidence. The investigation is ongoing to determine the cause, and if drugs and/or alcohol impairment was a factor.

Anyone who witnessed this incident is asked to contact Traffic Investigator Paul Ashby at (714) 741-5823.