Elderly Woman Killed In Fiery Crash Following Memorial Service For Granddaughter
SANTA ANA (CBSLA) – An Orange County family has been met with more misery as loved ones who held a memorial for a family member killed in Tustin were involved in a deadly crash after the service.
The family was stopped at an intersection of Red Hill Avenue and Dyer Road on Nov. 23 just before 9:45 p.m. when a pickup truck slammed into their sedan. A 75-year-old woman, identified as Deodula Omandum, did not make it. Police said she was the grandmother of a woman killed in the area last month.
"I don't know what I feel any more," Maria Vines said.
Her family came down from Visalia to mourn her cousin, who died in October when a tree came was brought down by heavy winds and crushed her car.
A special memorial service was held, according to Filipino tradition.
"After 40 days, the family and the relatives gather again together and remember her," Vines said.
The family was heading back to their hotel after the service when the truck slammed into them.
"Was in the stop stoplight, waiting to turn green. But all of a sudden, someone hit us in the back," Renato Vines said.
Police said good Samaritans helped to get most of the family out of the car, but they weren't able to save Omandum.
"They told me that my mom didn't make it because she was pinned down," Maria Vines said.
The family said they want to know about the driver who caused the accident. Police said the driver, a 26-year-old man San Jose resident, hasn't been charged but investigators are looking into the possibility that he was under the influence.
"I think that person deserves to be in jail or something," Renato Vines said.
The unidentified driver was hospitalized following the accident that appeared to leave substantial damage on both vehicles.
"If you know you aren't able to drive normally, you shouldn't be driving," Maria Vines said.
Anyone with information about this collision is asked to contact the Santa Ana Police Department's Traffic Division at 714-245-8200.