2 Killed, 3 Hurt as Car Hits Wall

Two Pomona men were killed and three other people were injured when their car veered off the Ventura Freeway in Woodland Hills, struck several trees and crashed into a retaining wall, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said this week.

The dead were identified as Moises Perez, 25, the driver, and Rigoberto Sanchez, 23, CHP Officer Dave Kersey said.

Rosa Villegas, 23, was admitted with moderate injuries to Northridge Hospital Medical Center, where she was said to be alert and in stable condition Wednesday.

Maria Lira, 24, and Celso de Luis, 35, were treated and released, Kersey said. All live in Pomona.

“This is a classic seat belt-non-seat belt case, where those with the seat belts suffered moderate to minor injuries, and the ones without . . . are dead,” Kersey said.

The accident occurred about 10:30 a.m. Sunday as the group was traveling west, just east of the Canoga Avenue exit. Perez lost control of the car, which was traveling at 88 m.p.h., as he swerved to avoid slower traffic, Kersey said.

Kersey said he found 19 beer cans in the car, a Thunderbird, although not all had been opened, and “one passenger said in fact they had been drinking.”