Freeway crash ends tragically

Deepa Bharath

COSTA MESA -- A red Honda sport utility vehicle went off a freeway

ramp Friday afternoon, slid down an embankment and was airborne 25 feet

before flipping several times and crashing on the other side of the road,

killing a woman and a toddler, officials said.

Two other women were injured in the accident that Costa Mesa Fire

Battalion Chief Gregg Steward called “an ugly incident.”

The vehicle with the driver and three passengers was coming down the

Corona del Mar Freeway onramp to the northbound San Diego Freeway about

1:15 p.m. when the driver lost control and the vehicle went off the road,

Steward said.

None of the victims were identified as of press time Friday.

The child, who officials believe to be a 2-year-old boy, was ejected

near the embankment as the car slid down, he said. The toddler’s

breathing was erratic at the scene, where he was treated by an off-duty

doctor but soon went into full cardiac arrest, Steward said. The child

was taken to Fountain Valley Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Of the three women in the car, one who was trapped inside was

pronounced dead on the spot, he said. Another woman suffered fractures to

her chest and face and was admitted to UCI Medical Center in serious to

critical condition. Officials said as of Friday night she was listed in

stable condition.

The third woman suffered scratches and cuts and was taken to Orange

Coast Hospital, Steward said.

The California Highway Patrol had issued a SigAlert that was canceled

about 5:15 p.m, said CHP Officer Mark Reeves. The Fairview Road offramp

remained closed to traffic until 4:45 p.m., he said.

Three Costa Mesa Fire Department paramedic engines, a truck and a

battalion chief responded to the incident. Costa Mesa police were also at

the scene.

Steward said some passersby stopped and tried to help paramedics.

“It was a very serious accident,” he said.

“We don’t know how it happened,” he added. “But it seems tragic

because no other vehicle was involved and maybe it could’ve been

prevented.”

* Deepa Bharath covers cops and courts. She may be reached at (949)

574-4226 or by e-mail at [email protected].