1 Dead, 2 Hurt in Separate Freeway Speeding Mishaps

A San Diego State University student was killed and two other persons were seriously injured in separate freeway accidents involving speeding cars, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said Saturday.

Christina Velasco, 21, was killed instantly Friday night when she was ejected from the car in which she was riding after it drifted into the center median of Interstate 805 near Orange Avenue, struck a concrete barrier and overturned. Two other passengers received minor injuries.

The driver of the car, Jorge Bermudez, 21, of National City was treated for injuries, then booked into County Jail on suspicion of drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter.

Bermudez apparently had been racing with one or two other cars southbound on I-805 at speeds of 85 to 90 m.p.h. when the accident occurred, a CHP spokesman said.

A Solana Beach woman and a La Mesa man were hospitalized early Saturday with major injuries after the car in which they were riding struck the rear of a truck on Interstate 5 north of Leucadia Boulevard.

The car, driven by Adam Wilburn, 30, was traveling south about 75 to 80 m.p.h. on I-5 when it struck the truck, which was traveling about 55 m.p.h., the CHP said. Wilburn and a passenger, Susan Yagel, 24, were taken to Mercy Hospital.