Corona man dies in weekend traffic accident on Laguna Canyon Road

A 55-year-old motorcyclist died Saturday after a car collided with him when its driver attempted to make an unexpected U-turn on Laguna Canyon Road near Laguna College of Art and Design.

Laguna Beach police and fire personnel responded to a call reporting an injury traffic collision at around 10:15 p.m. Preliminary investigation revealed that three vehicles and the motorcyclist, Stefano Albano of Corona, were traveling outbound on Laguna Canyon Road toward Irvine and were approaching the 2300 block.

Albano began a passing maneuver at the same time the driver of one of the three vehicles attempted a U-turn that resulted in the crash.

Public safety officials pronounced Albano dead at the scene and arrested the driver, Huntington Beach resident Becky Merrifield Ettinger, 68, on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Following the accident, all lanes of Laguna Canyon Road from Broadway at Forest Avenue to El Toro Road were closed until about 5:45 a.m.

Police said the incident is still under investigation, and Lt. Jim Cota, of the Laguna Beach Police Department, said no new additional details have emerged as of Monday.

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