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1 Dies in 9-Vehicle Irvine Pileup : Accident: A speeding motorist hits a sedan, sparking a chain-reaction crash. Two other people were seriously hurt.

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

A speeding motorist rammed into the back of a sedan stopped at an intersection Wednesday, sparking a nine-vehicle, chain-reaction accident that left one person dead and two others seriously injured, police said.

“I’ve never seen an accident in this city with as many vehicles and this much damage,” said Irvine Police Traffic Sgt. Tom Hume, a 12-year veteran of the department. “We are absolutely lucky that we didn’t have multiple fatalities.”

The 2 p.m. crash occurred in the westbound lanes of Irvine Center Drive near Culver Drive. Police said that a blue Honda Accord traveling at a “substantial speed” barreled into several vehicles stopped at a red light at the intersection.

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The Honda plowed into a brown Nissan sedan with such force that it was “crunched like an accordion,” according to one witness. Hume said he “had to look at the door panel to find out what kind of car it was.”

The driver of the Nissan, identified as Sean Sheridan, 20, of Tustin, was rushed by paramedics to nearby Irvine Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Hume said a preliminary investigation found no evidence of “pre-impact skids,” an indication that the driver of the Honda probably did not apply his brakes. Hume did not identify the driver, but authorities at Western Medical Center-Santa Ana identified him as John R. Brunasso.

No charges were immediately filed, pending the outcome of the police investigation.

The force of the crash triggered a chain-reaction pileup that caused major damage to at least three of the nine vehicles involved.

“This car (the Honda) just seemed to come out of nowhere,” said Mary Aileen Matheis, 64, of Irvine, whose white 1988 Acura Integra was struck from behind as she waited at the intersection to turn left onto Culver Drive. “There was a loud crash and then everything seemed to be exploding at the same time.” Katherin S. Anderson, 24, of Irvine, who was driving a 1980 Volvo DL, said she glanced into her rear-view mirror just seconds before her car was struck and propelled into the intersection. “When I looked in the mirror, all I saw was a windshield coming toward me. . . . I don’t even know who hit me, it happened so fast. It was so confusing.

“I was in shock for at least a half-hour after the accident,” she added. “I feel so weird. . . . If I were a couple seconds later (getting) to the intersection, it might have been me who was hit so bad,” said Anderson, who was not injured. “I guess I was a lucky girl today.”

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Matheis, who also was unhurt, said it wasn’t until she got out of her car to look at the damage that she realized how severe the accident had been.

“It was disastrous,” she said. “There was nothing that anyone could do for the people who were injured.”

Witnesses said Brunasso, the driver of the Honda, attempted to move his car after the crash. Then, witnesses said, he stumbled out of the car, his face covered in blood, and started crying and screaming.

“He was imploring and grabbing at people,” Matheis said. “He was obviously badly injured. . . . He apparently was saying something like he didn’t want to go to hell.”

“He was screaming bloody murder,” said Andrea L. Bunting, 23, of Irvine, whose 1991 Nissan Pathfinder was struck from behind and pushed into the middle of the intersection. “He was screaming and screaming and screaming until he passed out.”

Bunting, who was with her 6-month-old daughter, Ariana, said she “didn’t really realize what happened until (Ariana) screamed.” The baby suffered no apparent injuries.

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Brunasso was flown by helicopter to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana, and the driver of a Chevrolet Blazer--identified by hospital officials as Gretchen M. Ramos, 39, of Irvine--was taken by ambulance to the same emergency room. Hospital authorities said Brunasso was in critical condition, and Ramos was in stable condition.

Also involved in the accident, but not injured, were: Christopher B. Andreasen, 29, of Dana Point; Louise H. Leverton, 72, of El Toro; and Halbert D. Tran, 42, of Laguna Hills.

Irvine Center Drive was closed for more than five hours as traffic investigators plied through the wreckage. Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is requested to call police at (714) 724-7021.

Times staff writer Anita M. Cal contributed to this report.

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