We now know why so many SAPD police units were at Main St. and Warner Ave. in the Historic South Main Business District last night. Two people died and five others were hospitalized after a horrific four-vehicle crash caused by a speeding wrong-way driver.
On August 4, 2025, at approximately 6:40 p.m., the Santa Ana Police Department received multiple reports of a multi-vehicle traffic collision at Main Street and Warner Avenue. Officers, along with Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), responded to the scene and located a four-vehicle collision between Warner Ave. and Anahurst Place.
Two drivers, 29-year-old Jorge Andres Delgado and 32-year-old Leticia Placencia Alvarado, both of Santa Ana, were pronounced deceased at the scene by OCFA. Five passengers from a third vehicle, ages 39, 19, 18, 11, and 1, were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver and sole occupant of the fourth vehicle remained at the scene and was not injured.
Based on the preliminary investigation, Delgado was traveling northbound on Main St., south of Warner Ave., in the opposing traffic lanes at a high rate of speed. Several vehicles traveling southbound were able to avoid a collision before Delgado struck three vehicles.
A video posted to social media showed the BMW driving the wrong way at a high rate of speed as seen above.
The Santa Ana Police Department’s Collision Investigation Unit (CIU) is investigating this collision. Anyone with information about this collision is asked to contact Detective Corporal M. Pardo at (714) 245-8208 or the Santa Ana Police Department’s Traffic Division at (714) 245-8200.
Potential Penalties the Driver Could Have Faced
If the wrong-way driver had survived, they could have faced several serious criminal charges under California law, including:
- Vehicular Manslaughter:
- If the crash was caused by negligence (e.g., speeding), the driver could be charged with vehicular manslaughter.
- If drugs or alcohol were involved, the charge could escalate to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, which carries harsher penalties.
- Reckless Driving:
- Driving at high speed in the wrong lane constitutes reckless driving, a misdemeanor that can lead to jail time, fines, and license suspension.
- Driving Under the Influence (DUI):
- If toxicology reports show the driver was impaired, DUI charges could apply, especially if it contributed to the fatalities.
- Felony Charges:
- Causing death while committing a traffic violation can lead to felony charges, especially if there’s a history of reckless or impaired driving.
- Civil Liability:
- Beyond criminal penalties, the driver (or their estate, if deceased) could face civil lawsuits from victims or their families for damages, medical costs, and wrongful death.
Authorities are still investigating whether alcohol or drugs were a factor.
Let roast the family of degaldo