Borrego Springs
A Florida man died and four people were seriously injured Sunday when two cars collided head-on on California 78, the California Highway Patrol said.
Frank Mannarino, 50, of Coral Springs, Fla., died at Palomar Hospital after the car in which he and his wife were passengers was struck by a car being driven on the wrong side of the road, said CHP spokeswoman Debbie Russell.
Mannarino’s wife, Pamela, was listed in critical condition at Palomar. The other passenger and the driver, Theresa and John Frederick Courtlander of Chula Vista, were listed in fair condition at University Hospital.
The driver of the other car, Liam P. Healy, 55, of Ireland, was listed in fair condition at Sharp Memorial Hospital. Russell said investigators did not know why Healy had been driving in the wrong side of the highway, but she said, “He may have reverted to left-lane driving.”
Russell said the accident occurred just west of the Yaqui Pass at 3 p.m. She said Healy was going west in the eastbound lane when the collision occurred.
A third car collided with wreckage after the original collision. The driver was not injured, Russell said.
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