Women struck by SUV

Andrew Edwards

One woman was killed and her sister was injured after they were

struck crossing a Laguna intersection during Wednesday morning’s

rainstorm.

Olimpia Ordunez, 27, a Santa Ana resident, was on her way to a

Laguna Beach home where she worked as a nanny. Her 36-year-old

sister, also from Santa Ana, suffered head and neck injuries and was

expected to pull through.

The pair was hit at about 9:10 a.m. Wednesday by an 82-year-old

woman driving a Chevrolet Tahoe through the intersection of South

Coast Highway and Mountain Road, police said. The SUV was driven by

Louise Mantoth of Dana Point. Mantoth, and her older sister, who was

riding with her, were not hurt in the collision.

The rain was pouring just before the crash, eyewitness Wesley

Verdugo said. Verdugo was riding in a car with his brother when they

saw the two victims crossing the highway. The pair was huddled under

an umbrella as they walked across the intersection.

Verdugo said his brother saw the women and stopped to let them

cross, but the driver of the Tahoe failed to stop, and the SUV

slammed into the victims.

“These two ladies got hit and they went flying, and it was really,

really bad,” he said.

Verdugo and his brother immediately got of their car and tried to

help, but there was little they could do, Verdugo said. The older

sister, despite her injuries, was able to sit up, but Olimpia Ordunez

stayed down on the pavement. Verdugo gave her his jacket while his

brother called 911.

“We did whatever we could do,” Verdugo said.

Police shut down South Coast Highway between Cress Street and

Bluebird Canyon Drive after they rolled out to the crash along with

paramedics from the Laguna Beach Fire Department. A helicopter was

called in to take Olimpia Ordunez to the UCI Medical Center and her

sister was carried to Mission Hospital in an ambulance.

After hearing the crash, Christe Noble of Laguna Hills went to the

intersection and watched emergency crews work to save the 27-year-old

as they loaded her into the air ambulance.

“They took her to the helicopter and they were doing chest

compressions on the way, while they were wheeling her in,” Noble

said.

Olimpia Ordunez died shortly after she arrived at the hospital,

Sgt. Jason Kravetz said.

Police are still investigating the crash, and will submit their

findings to the District Attorney’s office, which is routine in fatal

collisions, Kravetz said.