Newport Beach man hurt after car flips

Deepa Bharath

A Newport Beach man suffered major injuries after he lost control of

his Porsche on the Corona del Mar Freeway early Wednesday, California

Highway Patrol officials said.

James Gianulas, 63, was driving his 1997 Porsche northbound on the

Corona del Mar Freeway near Red Hill Avenue about 10:45 a.m. Officials

said he was talking on his cellular phone when he tried to merge into the

No. 3 lane. But he struck a Volkswagen Jetta that was traveling in the

No. 3 lane, officials said.

The Porsche skidded to the right and onto a dirt embankment until it

overturned and slid to a stop, landing in the No. 4 lane.

Gianulas’ hand was stuck in the wreckage, and it took Costa Mesa

firefighters about 20 minutes to free him, Battalion Chief Keith Fujimoto

said. He was taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana.

Officials said there were three people in the Jetta -- a 36-year-old

woman and two 6-year-old girls. One of the girls suffered minor injuries,

but the other girl and the woman were unhurt, officials said.