3 Children Die, Woman Hurt in Pendleton Car Accident

Three children were killed and a woman was seriously injured Thursday morning when they were struck by a car at Camp Pendleton, a Marine Corps spokesman said.

Charmane Ostergaard, 6, died immediately. Her brother, 4-year-old Jeremiah, was flown by helicopter to Mission Community Hospital in Mission Viejo, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Annabell Reyes, 6, was flown by helicopter to Sharp Memorial Hospital, where she died in the emergency room at 10:37 a.m., according to San Diego County Deputy Coroner William Leard.

Deborah Ostergaard, the 24-year-old mother of Charmane and Jeremiah, was taken by ambulance to the base hospital and later transferred to the Navy hospital in Balboa Park. She underwent surgery there and was listed in critical condition Thursday night, said Sgt. N.H. North, Camp Pendleton spokesman.

“Deborah Ostergaard had possible back injuries, internal injuries, one broken leg and multiple contusions,” North said.

According to the coroner’s office, the four accident victims were walking north on Chaisson Drive near the Marine Corps base’s San Onofre housing area at 8:45 a.m. when they were hit by a car driven by Charles M. Smith, 20, the stepson of a military man stationed at Pendleton.

Smith was placed in the custody of military police, who questioned him about the accident, North said.

“The military police investigation is not completed yet, and Smith has been handed over to federal authorities, so I really can’t comment on the accident,” he said. “But preliminary reports suggest that excessive speed was involved in the accident.”

North said that Smith was still in custody late Thursday, but he did not know where.

Sgt. David L. Ostergaard and Sgt. Joaquin C. Reyes, the children’s fathers, are stationed at Camp Pendleton, and live on base. They are infantrymen in the First Marine Division.

Although the military police began investigating the accident Thursday morning, the case was handed over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Naval Investigative Service by afternoon, said Gary Laturno, an FBI spokesman.

“There is still a question about what our (the FBI’s) jurisdiction is,” Laturno said. “Hopefully it will be resolved by tomorrow, but we are investigating at this time.”

No criminal charges were filed against Smith on Thursday, North said, and if charges are filed against the young man, it will be done by the U.S. attorney’s office.

A spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office refused to comment on the accident, investigation or possible charges.