2 Killed, 1 Hurt in Canyon Country Crash

A Palmdale man and his passenger were killed in Canyon Country on Tuesday when his car was struck by a driver whose vehicle blew a tire and crossed the center divider, the California Highway Patrol said.

Darrell L. Jones, 50, was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. His passenger, June A. Jones, 50, died after being airlifted to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital. The other driver, Steven Hofbauer, 33, also of Palmdale, received major internal injuries, a CHP spokeswoman said.

Hofbauer was traveling at 55 m.p.h. northbound on the Antelope Valley Freeway near Soledad Canyon Road at about 5:35 p.m. when the left front tire of his car blew, Sgt. Andrew Kugl said. Hofbauer lost control of his vehicle, which skidded across the center divider before colliding head-on with Jones’ car, Kugl said.