COSTA MESA : 4 Hurt When Truck Slams Into Car
A motorist whose car blew a tire on the San Diego Freeway was hit from behind as he tried to move to the side of the road Friday, leaving four people injured and all southbound lanes closed for more than 90 minutes.
“It appears as if the driver was trying to get over to the side of road,” California Highway Patrol Officer Angel Johnson said.
But before the Nissan 280-ZX could make it, it was struck from behind by a Ford Ranger pickup just north of the Fairview Road off-ramp about 5:30 a.m., she said. The Nissan slammed into the center divider and the truck crossed all traffic lanes and crashed into trees off the right shoulder of the freeway, Johnson said.
All four southbound lanes of the freeway were closed from 5:40 to 7:10 a.m. Friday as rescue workers pried the victims from the twisted wreckage, she said.
The driver of the Nissan, Tai Dang Nicholson, 21, of Garden Grove, suffered minor cuts and bruises and was in fair condition at UCI Medical Center in Orange. Mylinh Thi Tran, 19, of Santa Ana, a passenger in the car, sustained a cervical fracture to the neck and was flown to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana. Zhien Nguyen, 20, another passenger, suffered multiple trauma and was also sent to Western Medical Center.
Zeferino Pinon Fuerte, 28, of Stanton, driver of the truck, was taken to Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center with a dislocated right hip and a chest injury.
Johnson estimated that only about 2% of blowouts on Orange County freeways result in accidents. “Most people make it to the side safely,” she said.
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