14 DAY TRIAL // Five people have died in a crash between multiple vehicles in Northern California on Tuesday. Six cars were involved in the collision before 5:30 p.m., in Lodi.
Speeding and reckless driving were factors of the crash, which took place in a busy intersection.
Lodi Police Detective Eric Bradley mentions that three more people have incurred critical wounds and required surgery.
According to the Sacramento Bee, witnesses spotted a Chevy Tahoe driving at 100 mph (160 kph), before the incident.
“He looked angry, like he was on a mission,” witness Erin Andrews describes. She mentions the driver talking on his cellphone.
Dede Frey of Lodi confirms seeing the man speeding, and adds that a second vehicle was behind him.
“It was reckless driving. [...] They were going at least 60 mph (96 kph),” he says.
The victims are a family of five, including two adults and three children. 32-year-old Luís Miranda and 31-year-old Viviana Rodriguez, who was pregnant, passed away in the accident.
So did their kids, 12-year-old Irving, 6-year-old José and 5-year-old Stephanie. Their 9-year-old son was in surgery with life threatening wounds.
“I stood there and cried, just crying because it could have been me if the timing had been different. … He just had such total disregard for human life,” Andrews recalls.
Lt. Sierra Brucia reports that they are investigating whether or not drugs or alcohol have factored in the collision.
“This is a major accident. [...] It would take several months to investigate, this thing is so fluid,” he states.
The victims will be buried in Guerrero state in Mexico, where they have family.
“Officials from this consulate general are in contact with the family of the deceased to provide them with the necessary consular and legal assistance, helping them with the proceedings for the transfer of the remains to the state of Guerrero in Mexico, and monitoring the condition of the Mexican nationals who survived the accident,” a spokesperson for the consulate said in a statement.