Yorba Linda : Woman’s Unborn Child Killed in Car Crash

Six people remained hospitalized Sunday after they were seriously injured in a three-car accident that claimed the life of a woman’s unborn child, authorities said.

Brea police, who patrol the Yorba Linda community, said the accident occurred Saturday afternoon when Scott Johnson, 25, of Placentia, swerved into oncoming traffic on Yorba Linda Boulevard.

Johnson’s car collided head-on with a car driven by Patrice Marie Liebelt, 34, of Yorba Linda. Her car then bounced into the air and landed atop a third car traveling the same direction.

Liebelt was seven months pregnant and her unborn child was killed in the crash, the woman’s brother-in-law, Michael Liebelt of Pomona, said Sunday.

Johnson, Liebelt and the driver of the third car, Carmen Hernandez Martinez, 45, of Yorba Linda, all were transported to local hospitals with major injuries, according to police.

Three passengers also were taken to area hospitals with injuries, she said. The passengers were identified as Craig Raczek, 9, a passenger in Martinez’s car; and Liebelt’s husband, Chris, and 5-year-old daughter, Leslie.

The cause of the accident, which occurred east of Casa Loma Avenue, remained under investigation and an 11-page report had been compiled by officers by late Sunday, Lt. Cliff Trimble said.

According to hospital officials, Johnson was in critical condition Sunday in the intensive care unit of Placentia Linda Community Hospital; Martinez was in very critical condition in the intensive care unit of Mission Community Hospital; Chris Liebelt was in critical condition in the intensive care unit and Leslie Liebelt was in stable condition in the pediatric unit of Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in Whittier.

Patrice Liebelt was in extremely critical condition Sunday afternoon, said her brother-in-law. “It’s hour-to-hour whether she makes it,” Michael Liebelt said.

Information was not immediately available on the condition of Craig Raczek.