2-Car Collision Kills 1 Person, Injures 5 Others

A woman was killed and five people injured Thursday night when a car turning left onto Beach Boulevard collided with another vehicle.

Jay Escano, 20, of Anaheim was driving west on Trask Avenue shortly before 11 p.m. when a car driven by Said Gutierrez, 23, of Garden Grove began to make a left turn onto Beach Boulevard in front of him, said Police Officer Thomas Blackburn. Escano’s car struck Gutierrez’s nearly head-on, he said.

Escano’s mother, Elenita Tuscano, 42, was fatally injured in the crash. She was taken to Humana Hospital-Westminster, where she was pronounced dead of chest injuries about an hour later, Blackburn said. He said Escano had been taking her to work.

Escano was listed in fair condition Friday at UCI Medical Center, according to hospital spokeswoman Elaine Beno. His two other passengers, Linda Ganac, 44, and her daughter Lynn Ganac, 19, both of Anaheim, were treated and released Thursday night from Humana Hospital-Huntington Beach.

Gutierrez and his passenger, Rosario Valadez, 20, of Anaheim were taken to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana and were in stable condition Friday, according to hospital spokesman John Boop.

Blackburn said no citations were issued pending investigation.

Escano and his mother were neighbors of the Ganacs while living in the Philippines, friends said. The Ganacs arrived in the United States last week for a visit.

“They grew up together,” said a friend of the families, Laticia Hall, 33. “Lynn had just arrived from the Philippines and Jay was showing her where his mother worked.”