Crash claims man’s life

Marisa O’Neil

A crash near a San Diego Freeway onramp Wednesday afternoon left one

man dead and police trying to determine who was at fault.

The crash happened about 3 p.m. at the intersection of South Coast

Drive and Hyland Avenue, Costa Mesa Police Officer Shawn Leffingwell

said.

It appears one of the two cars involved ran a red light, but it’s

unclear who was at fault, he said.

“Witnesses behind each car gave us conflicting reports saying who

had a green light,” Leffingwell said.

A dark gray Porsche was headed south on Hyland Avenue and turning

left onto South Coast Drive, Leffingwell said. A Dodge Durango SUV

was headed west on South Coast Drive, toward the onramp to the

northbound San Diego Freeway.

The Durango broadsided the Porsche, sending it into a dirt berm

alongside the freeway.

Fire crews had to cut the door off the Porsche to remove the

driver, Leffingwell said.

Police did not release the name of the driver, pending

notification of relatives, but Leffingwell said it appeared to be a

man in his 70s.

The man was taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana

unconscious and in critical condition, he said.

He later died of his injuries.

Two passengers in the Durango suffered minor injuries and were

taken to Fountain Valley Regional Hospital, Leffingwell said.

The Durango’s female driver was not injured, he said.

Alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the accident, Leffingwell

said, and it was not raining at the time.

It was the second serious accident in as many days in north Costa

Mesa.

Tuesday evening, a young couple was struck by a car while they

crossed Sunflower Avenue near South Coast Plaza, Leffingwell said.

They suffered moderate injuries and were taken to Western Medical

Center, Leffingwell said.

They were crossing during a torrential downpour, and apparently

the driver, who was turning left onto Sunflower, didn’t see them, he

said.

No charges have been filed in that accident, and the victims’

names have not been released.

* MARISA O’NEIL covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (714) 966-4618 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil@latimes.com.