Woman Dies, 9 Hurt After I-5 Blowout

A 64-year-old woman was killed and nine other people--six of them children--were injured Monday when their car crashed after blowing a tire on Interstate 5 in Camp Pendleton, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Anselma Chrispin-Mateo, 64, of Los Angeles, was pronounced dead at the scene about a mile and a half north of Las Pulgas Road, CHP Officer Tom Kerns said.

The 10 people were going north in an Audi station wagon about 5 a.m. when the car’s right front tire blew out, Kerns said.

The car went sideways, swerved across the northbound lanes, collided with a Mercedes-Benz and overturned, Kerns said. Both the Mercedes-Benz and Audi were destroyed.

Kerns said no one in the Audi was wearing a seat belt and that none of the children were in child restraints. No charges have been filed.

The passengers in the Audi, all from the Los Angeles area, were taken by helicopter to various hospitals.

Taken to Samaritan Medical Center in San Clemente were Santiago Martinez, 6, listed in serious condition with two broken legs, Camilo Martinez, 9, listed in fair condition with a head injury and cuts on his face and leg, Adrian Martinez, 2, listed in fair condition with a cut on her scalp, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Rudolfo Gonzales, 8, was listed in good condition at Children’s Hospital in San Diego, a hospital spokeswoman said.

At Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, Luis Martinez, 2; Guadalupe Gonzales, 24, and Ricardo Gonzales, 5, were all listed in good condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Eloisa Martinez, 31, was listed in critical condition at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The driver of the Audi, 35-year-old Maria Martinez, suffered major injuries. It couldn’t be determined what hospital she was taken to.

The driver of the Mercedes-Benz, 47-year-old David Yorck of San Diego, complained of pain but was not taken to a hospital, Kerns said.