Woman killed in crash outside Buena Park restaurant is identified

Orange County coroner’s officials on Saturday released the name of a woman who was killed when a car plowed into a group of people outside a Buena Park restaurant Friday night.

Marisa Malin, 73, of Cerritos, was sitting on a bench outside Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour Restaurant in the 8600 block of Beach Boulevard when a silver SUV jumped the curb, knocked down a railing and struck Malin and six other people, authorities said.

Coroner’s officials said Malin was pinned beneath the vehicle. She was taken to UCI Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Malin had just celebrated her birthday April 15.

The crash occurred around 6 p.m. as patrons were waiting outside the restaurant to be seated.

Buena Park police Officer Bill Kohanek told KTLA-TV that an elderly couple had left the restaurant, gotten into their car and then accelerated toward the crowd outside the restaurant.

“It looks like an unfortunate incident again of someone that perhaps hit the accelerator instead of the brake,” Kohanek said.

Cpl. Andy Luong of the Buena Park Police Department said several people were taken to nearby hospitals, including two children. He did not know the condition of the victims as of early Saturday afternoon.

Television news footage showed the silver SUV’s tires over a black fence outside the restaurant, which opened just two months ago.

“Literally people were sitting on the bench and their heads were up against the windows and the car wouldn’t come off them,” Jennifer Scharnikow, a witness, told KTLA.

The couple in the car were not injured.

The driver was detained for questioning and later released, Luong said, adding that no arrests had been made and the investigation was continuing.

“We’re known for our lines … because it’s a place of fun, and obviously the fun went very, very tragic today,” Michael Flemming, chief executive of Parlour Enterprises Inc., told the station. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and the driver as well.”

ruben.vives@latimes.com

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