Family Mourning Loss Of 4 People Killed In Pomona Rollover Crash
LAKE ELSINORE (CBSLA.com) — Aaron Coria sadly showed CBS2/KCAL9's Laurie Perez his family picture Monday morning, two days after three relatives and a family friend were all killed in a rollover crash involving a hit-and-run driver in Pomona.
Coria slowly pointed out how many loved ones his family had lost and how many were hurt in a single morning in a single crash.
They were part of a group who had gone to Universal Studios Friday night and had a picture taken at the park just hours before the deadly collision on the 60 Freeway.
The victims were in a 2003 Ford Explorer when it rolled down an embankment near the Reservoir Street exit around 5 a.m. Saturday.
The deceased were Elba Rosales, 26; Luis Herrera, 29; Noemi Herrera, 21 and Gerardo Herrera, 49, according to Rudy Molano of the coroner's office.
"My cousin Noemi - she passed away. My uncle, Gerardo, passed away. Luis, his son, also passed away," Coria said. "I just hope it was a bad dream. But we have to be in reality that it did happen."
He said his uncle's son has a broken clavicle and added that "my aunt Laura, she had a broken leg."
Investigators said six of the eight occupants in the SUV were ejected. "It is suspected that six of the eight occupants were not wearing seat belts," according to the CHP.
Four were pronounced dead at the scene and the four other occupants suffered moderate to major injuries.
Elena Chavez-Lopez, 25, was driving the SUV. She told officers that a white newer-model vehicle struck the left side of her vehicle before she lost control, the California Highway Patrol reported.
Remarkably, she suffered only minor injuries and was treated and released from a hospital.
Friends and family gathered at the Herreras' Lake Elsinore home in disbelief.
Marlene Cruz said three people from one family all gone at once is not fair.
Friends have started a Gofundme account to help pay for the funerals and medical bills for the survivors of the crash.
The CHP said they are checking security video from businesses near the freeway in hopes of tracking down the hit-and-run driver.
