2 People Thrown to Deaths From Pickups

Two people died and two others were injured when they were thrown from the beds of pickup trucks in separate accidents during the weekend in the Antelope Valley, authorities said Monday.

On Sunday, a truck driven by Betty Adamson, 21, of Lancaster was broadsided by another vehicle at the intersection of 5th Street East and Avenue I in Lancaster, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. The other driver and his passenger ran away and were being sought, deputies said.

Three men were thrown from the bed of Adamson’s pickup to the pavement. Victor Hugo Diaz, 20, of Lancaster died at the scene. Christopher Scott Adamson, 23, was in serious condition at Antelope Valley Hospital Medical Center with head and neck injuries. Ceasar Franco, 19, who also suffered head and neck injuries, was in stable condition at Lancaster Community Hospital.

Betty Adamson was hospitalized, and another passenger, Marena Pineda, 19, suffered a broken shoulder.

On Friday, Jesus Del Villar, 50, of Los Angeles was killed when the truck in which he was riding was rear-ended by another vehicle in Lake Los Angeles, California Highway Patrol Lt. Dick Stockham said. The driver of the other vehicle, Robert Waller, 35, of Palmdale was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and released on $20,000 bail, Stockham said.