Thread: SOLANA BEACH, CA : Pregnant woman, killed in I-5 hit-and-run

SOLANA BEACH: Pregnant woman, fetus killed in I-5 hit-and-run

Investigators seeking North County man

SOLANA BEACH ---- A pregnant Tijuana woman and her unborn child died early Sunday after a crash on Interstate 5 that involved a hit-and-run driver and a passing motorist who stole the pregnant woman's purse, a California Highway Patrol officer said.

Investigators are searching for the North County man who is the registered owner of the car suspected of causing the accident.

At around 1 a.m. on northbound I-5 just north of Lomas Santa Fe Drive, the driver of a speeding Nissan Altima sedan changed lanes and clipped the back of a Ford Explorer carrying a family, Officer Mark Latulippe said.

Yine Gonzalez, 24 years old and six months pregnant, was partly thrown from the Explorer when the sport utility vehicle overturned several times, Latulippe said.

Gonzalez died of her injuries at a hospital and her fetus could not be saved, Latulippe said. The woman's husband, 5-year-old daughter and two relatives were also in the car at the time of the crash and were treated for minor injuries, he said.

Latulippe said a witness stopped for the crash and initially helped the two men in the Altima which, like the Explorer, had come to rest in the left two lanes.

When that witness went to help the family in the Explorer, both men from the Altima fled on foot, he said.
Investigators said the Altima is registered to John F. Sudac Jr., 27, who resides in both Oceanside and Carlsbad. They are trying to contact Sudac to determine whether he had any role in Sunday's crash.

Sudac is described as white with black hair and brown eyes, 5 feet 8 inches tall and 150 pounds.

The passenger within the Nissan Altima is described as a Latino man and is believed to have sustained a laceration to his head and face.

Investigators are also looking for a motorist who stopped for the crash just long enough to steal Gonzalez's purse, which was thrown from the Explorer, Latulippe said.

Anyone with information about Sudac, the passenger of the Altima, or the person who stole the crash victim's purse is asked to call CHP dispatch at (85 637-3800.

The Oceanside CHP office can be called during business hours at (760) 757-1675.



Investigators name John F. Sudac, Jr. as a person of interest in the investigation of a crash that killed a pregnant woman and her unborn child.


http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2009/01 ... 7638be.txt

Can you believe stopping long enough to steal the purse? What is this world comming to?

Originally Posted by crazybird

Can you believe stopping long enough to steal the purse? What is this world comming to?

The purse was never stolen. The media flew off with a rumor that was never substantiated.

REGION: Witnesses testify about chaotic aftermath of fatal I-5 crash


Carlsbad man accused in Jan. 4 collision that killed expectant mother

By TERI FIGUEROA - Staff Writer | Wednesday, January 28, 2009 2:09 PM PST

VISTA ---- Witnesses to the aftermath of a crash that killed a pregnant woman and her unborn child took the stand in a Vista courtroom Wednesday and described the chaotic scene and efforts to free victims inside the smoldering wreckage of two cars.

The testimony came during a preliminary hearing for John Francis Sudac, Jr., who has pleaded not guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter and other charges stemming from the fatal collision, which happened around 1 a.m. on Jan. 4 on Interstate 5 in Encinitas.

Sudac, 27, is accused of fleeing the scene of the crash that killed Yine Erandy Gonzalez Angeles, 24, of Tijuana, who was six months pregnant. Her unborn child also died.

Witness Solomon Huss, an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department, said he and three friends happened upon the aftermath of the crash and stopped to help.

Huss said he saw Sudac climb out of his car and yell, "My friend is still inside."

Huss said he ran to Sudac's Nissan Altima and pulled out an unconscious and bleeding man who was "crumpled on the floor board."

Huss said that once he got the man out of the car, he heard that Angeles' husband had been "screaming, 'My wife's trapped inside.' "

The off-duty policeman then ran to help free Angeles, who had been partially thrown from the Ford Explorer and was trapped underneath the sport utility vehicle as it lay on its side.

Aside from his job as a policeman, Huss is a corporal in the Marine Corps reserves and is on active duty with the military.

Witness Lacreisha Wells said she spotted Sudac's vehicle "swerving," driving recklessly and nearly striking another car as she headed north on I-5 between Via de la Valle and the site of the crash, just north of Lomas Santa Fe.

"I slowed down because I thought he was a drunk driver," Wells testified.

About 30 seconds later, she said, she saw the crash up the road.

"I saw sparks. I saw the Altima go one way and the Ford Explorer flip over a couple of times," Wells said.

The preliminary hearing is expected to wrap up Wednesday afternoon. At the end, Superior Court Judge Runston Maino will determine if there is enough evidence to send Sudac on to face trial.

Contact staff writer Teri Figueroa at (760) 740-5442 or tfigueroa@nctimes.com.

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COMMENTS ON THIS STORY


Dude January 28, 2009 2:18PM PST
Tragic Story.

It's good to hear of people like Mr. Hess.

Olocal760 January 28, 2009 2:26PM PST
Tragic indeed. I can't even begin to imagine the heartache and horror that poor family is dealing with.
Did they ever find the passengers in his car who fled?
I hope this night of fun and irresponsibility was worth a lifetime in prison. Adios Mr. Sudac!

Dadakulit January 28, 2009 2:35PM PST
I would still like to know if the occupants in the Ford Explorer were in this country legally, and if they had a valid driver's license and insuarance.

Dadakulit January 28, 2009 2:57PM PST
Ford Explorer rollovers and rollover safety concerns have been in the public spotlight almost daily since 2000 when the Ford Explorer - Firestone tire tread separation roll over accident problem was revealed. Hundreds of deaths in the U.S. have been blamed on a faulty design that creates an instability in the Ford Explorers. This design problem has resulted in many drivers unable to control the vehicle in emergency situations, especially after a tire blowout or sudden deflation from a tire tread separated resulting in a rollovers. The Ford Explorer and similar models, the Mercury Mountaineer and Mazda Navajo are in a class of their own in regards to the large numbers of rollovers. In 2006 in a Ford Explorer rollover trial, evidence was introduced that indicated that the Explorer is unstable not only on Firestone tires but also on tires made by Goodyear, Cooper, Michelin's Uniroyal, BF Goodrich, Kelly Springfield, Continental General and other tire manufacturers. http://www.fordexplorerrollover.com/

Dadakulit January 28, 2009 3:08PM PST
What if the Ford explorer rolled first and then it was hit. Was there any eye witnesses? What was the mechanical condition of the ford Explorer? What kind of tires did it have? Was the driver of the Ford Explorer at least doing the speed limit. I see too many inexperienced driver doing 40 mph on the freeway at night. Did the driver of the ford explorer have a license and insurance? I am not defending the man who cowardly ran from the scene, but I am saying there may be more to the story.

RepsolJohnny January 28, 2009 3:16PM PST
Are you kidding? A lady dies because of an idiot driver and you want to know if they're holding a DL. Let's say none of them have one. OK, so? If I cross over into Mexico, should it be just fine if someone kills me because they're in too much of a hurry to drive normally because I don't have a license there? I guess intolerence allows compasion to cease.Yes, glad to hear about guys like Mr. Hess. Wish more readers were like "dude".

Dadakulit January 28, 2009 3:22PM PST
The problems with the Ford Explorer are just going to continue to increase as the fleet of these SUVs get older. As the suspension, springs, shocks, tires, linkage gets worn out and looser, the handling and stability of the Explorer will be even harder to control in emergency evasive manuevers and other everyday situations in which a tight responsive vehicle is required and expected. Further, Explorer lawsuits have been file in court alleging that the Ford Explorer roof is defective as the design creates a weak roof subject to severe roof crush or roof deformation in a rollover resulting in severe spinal cord injuries,neck fractures, head injuries, resulting in paralysis, brain damage and death.

Dadakulit January 28, 2009 3:29PM PST
ROLL PERCAUTIONS An SUV without roll protection is what makes an SUV rollover accident so dangerous. Although SUVs were made for the purpose of off-roading manufacturers realized the use of SUVs as a family car and did not include roll bars. While the body of an SUV remained the same as it would if used for off-roading, the removal of the roll bars combined with the high clearance and high center of gravity make rollover accidents that much more fatal.

Dadakulit January 28, 2009 4:09PM PST
Nowhere in this story does it say that Mr. John Francis Sudac, Jr., caused this crash, and no eyewitnesses to the crash are interviewed.

ANGRY WHITE MAN January 28, 2009 5:29PM PST
We all know how well trained the drivers are from Tijuana. And all that talk of Foreign Nationals driving beaters is just talk. Right?

ANGRY WHITE MAN January 28, 2009 5:31PM PST
The beaters that scare me the most are the stake bed trucks coming up from Mexico to haul stuff back down. I see them loaded so high with old appliances, leaning like the tower of Pizza. Or enough old bald tires to fill a football stadium, stacked to the heavens. They are usually in the right lane on the freeway headed South. Coughing, sputtering, smoking and swaying their way toward home. I have never seen one stopped by the Highway Patrol. It is like they don't exist.


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