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Woman heading to prenatal checkup killed in California crash

Posted August 05, 2022 7:00 am

By STEFANIE DAZIO

A memorial cross is posted on a traffic pole as Los Angeles City Public Works technicians replace burned traffic lights and signs after crash involving multiple cars near a gas station in the unincorporated Windsor Hills in Los Angeles on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. A speeding car ran a red light and plowed into cars in a crowded intersection Thursday in a fiery crash that killed several people, including a baby, just outside of Los Angeles, authorities said. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A pregnant woman who died along with her young son and three others in a fiery crash caused by a speeding car was heading to a prenatal doctor's appointment, her sister said Friday.

Thursday's crash killed Asherey Ryan, her 11-month-old son Alonzo Quintero and her boyfriend, Reynold Lester, Sha'seana Kerr said in a GoFundMe posting.

'œEverybody's heartbroken,'ť Kerr told KABC-TV. 'œShe literally walked out the door, because we all live together, and she said, '~Ok, I love y'all. I'm going to my doctor's appointment to check up on the baby.' We asked, '~Oh, why don't you leave our nephew here?' She said, '~No, I want to take my son for a ride.' So, knowing that really, really broke our hearts.'ť

Lester's family told KABC-TV that the 24-year-old security guard was the father of the unborn child, who was listed as 'œbaby boy Ryan" in online coroner's records.

Two other women and a man were also killed but their names weren't made public Friday.

Shortly after 1:30 p.m. Thursday, a Mercedes-Benz sedan ran a red light at high speed and caused the crash involving as many as six cars near a gas station in the unincorporated Windsor Hills about 10 miles (16 kilometers) southwest of downtown LA, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The California Highway Patrol said Nicole Lorraine Linton, who sustained moderate injuries in the collision, was taken into custody on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

Prosecutors said they could receive the case as early as next Monday and will then decide whether to file criminal charges.

It was not immediately clear whether Linton, 37, had an attorney who could comment on her behalf.

The Mercedes-Benz sedan never appeared to brake as it flew through the intersection and Pepi said detectives are looking into whether Linton had a medical episode or was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

'œIt was definitely one of the most horrific crashes that we've seen,'ť CHP Officer Franco Pepi told The Associated Press on Friday.

Several people were flung from the cars and two vehicles caught fire. Television reports showed the blackened and mangled cars, as well as a child's car seat among the debris covering the street.

Video showed the Mercedes careening through an intersection, striking at least two cars that exploded in flames and were sent hurtling onto a sidewalk, winding up against the gas station's corner sign. A fiery streak led to one car. One vehicle was torn in half.

The car was going at least 50 mph (80 kph) as it raced through the crowded intersection, Pepi said Thursday. Eight people were taken to the hospital, including Linton.

The other victims had minor injuries and included a 33-year-old woman and six children ranging in age from 1 to 15 years old, Pepi said.

A memorial grew outside the intersection Friday, as mourners left flowers and candles in memory of the dead.

Henry Sanchez, who works at nearby Sinclair Gas, was at the indoor register when he heard 'œthe loudest noise I've ever heard.'ť

"The sound of it, it was gut-wrenching,'ť he told the AP on Friday. 'œIt was like two trains hitting each other, metal on metal.'ť

He saw people rush to the cars to offer aid but they were kept back by the flames until firefighters arrived.

'œI remember everybody trying to get the fire down and help people out as much as they could, but nobody could do anything,'ť he said.

Veronica Esquival told KTLA-TV that she covered her head for protection as debris flew.

'œAll of the sudden, a baby literally flew from the middle of the intersection to the middle of the gas station and landed right on the floor in front of me,'ť Esquival said. 'œOne of the workers came and saw me with the baby and took the baby out of my hands. '¦ Somebody tried to resuscitate the baby but the baby was gone.'ť

Debra Jackson, told KCBS-TV she was about to get out of her car to pump gas when she heard a big explosion.

'œThe flames just went over everybody,'ť Jackson said. 'œThe flames went over my whole car and they told me to jump out of my car ... because I was trying to get out of my car, to go to the gas pump. And I jumped out of my car and just left my car sitting right there.'ť

___

Associated Press Photojournalist Damian Dovarganes in Los Angeles and News Researcher Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report.

Los Angeles City Public Works technicians replace burned traffic lights and signs after crash involving as many as six cars near a gas station in the unincorporated Windsor Hills in Los Angeles, Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. A speeding car ran a red light and plowed into cars in a crowded intersection Thursday in a fiery crash that killed several people, including a baby, just outside of Los Angeles, authorities said. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) The Associated Press

Flowers and candles are left on an intersection after after crash involving as many as six cars near a gas station in the unincorporated Windsor Hills in Los Angeles, Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. A speeding car ran a red light and plowed into cars in a crowded intersection Thursday in a fiery crash that killed several people, including a baby, just outside of Los Angeles, authorities said. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) The Associated Press

Los Angeles City Public Works technicians replace burned traffic lights and signs after a crash involving as many as six cars near a gas station in the unincorporated Windsor Hills in Los Angeles, Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. A speeding car ran a red light and plowed into cars in a crowded intersection Thursday in a fiery crash that killed several people, including a baby, just outside of Los Angeles, authorities said. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) The Associated Press

Los Angeles City Public Works technicians replace burned traffic lights and signs after crash involving multiple cars near a gas station in the unincorporated Windsor Hills in Los Angeles on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. A speeding car ran a red light and plowed into cars in a crowded intersection Thursday in a fiery crash that killed several people, including a baby, just outside of Los Angeles, authorities said. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) The Associated Press

Henry Sanchez, a gas attendant at nearby Sinclair Gas, cleans his gas station pumps a day after a crash involving multiple cars at a cross street gas station in the unincorporated Windsor Hills in Los Angeles, Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. A speeding car ran a red light and plowed into cars in a crowded intersection Thursday in a fiery crash that killed several people, including a baby, just outside of Los Angeles, authorities said. He was at the indoor register when he heard "the loudest noise I've ever heard." "The sound of it, it was gut-wrenching," he told The Associated Press on Friday. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) The Associated Press

This aerial image taken from video provided by KABC-TV shows authorities responding to a traffic accident in the suburban neighborhood Windsor Hills, in Los Angeles, on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. Several people were killed, including an infant and a pregnant person, and others were injured in a fiery traffic collision in Southern California. (KABC-TV via AP) The Associated Press

This aerial image taken from video provided by KABC-TV shows authorities responding to a traffic accident in the suburban neighborhood Windsor Hills, of Los Angeles, on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. Several people were killed, including an infant and a pregnant person, and others were injured in a fiery traffic collision in Southern California. (KABC-TV via AP) The Associated Press

Neighbor Mary Thompson prays as she brings a bouquet to the memorial site set after a crash involving as many as six cars near a gas station in the unincorporated Windsor Hills in Los Angeles, on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. Authorities said that a speeding car ran a red light and plowed into cars in a crowded intersection Thursday in a fiery crash that killed several people, including a baby. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) The Associated Press

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