Woman Ejected Through Sunroof of Auto, Is Killed

A 24-year-old woman died early Friday morning after being ejected from the sunroof of the family car driven by her husband who was later arrested on manslaughter and felony drunk-driving charges.

Witnesses and Orange County Sheriff’s officials said that immediately after the accident, the frantic driver, Scott Dennis Kennedy, fled the scene after identifying his wife and son for paramedics. He was arrested on his arrival at Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center where his wife, Traci Monet Kennedy, had died.

The Mission Viejo couple and their 18-month-old son, Terrence, were traveling west on Oso Parkway about 9:35 p.m. Thursday when their Volkswagen Fox crossed the center median and collided with two other cars, sheriff’s spokesman Lt. Dick Olson said.

The Kennedy car first struck the right-front end of a 1992 Toyota 4-Runner, and then collided head-on with a 1990 Volvo station wagon. Witnesses said the impact from the second collision sent Traci Kennedy flying from the Volkswagen sunroof. She was reportedly ejected more than 40 feet through the air before landing on her head, near a curb on the east side of the parkway.

She was taken to the Mission Viejo hospital where she died at 1:27 a.m. Friday, Olson said. Authorities said the child suffered “non-life-threatening injuries” and was listed in fair condition at the same hospital.

The driver of the Volvo, Joseph Blum, 33, said he and his wife, Jennifer, 32, were returning from Capistrano Beach when the accident occurred. They were traveling east on the parkway when their car was hit.

“It all happened so fast,” Joseph Blum said. “First, we saw bushes flying from the left side, then there was massive metal flying at us. We looked at each other and said, ‘Oh no!’

“We had been going about 45 m.p.h. and, within about a second, we were at a complete stop with the front end of our car completely smashed. There were no skid marks and our bumper was basically underneath (our) floorboards.”

Blum said he and his wife saw Traci Kennedy’s ejection from the car, and later a “distraught” Scott Kennedy pacing back and forth.

“He was basically freaked out, pretty distraught,” Blum said. “It was just a blood bath by the curb.”

Paramedics were treating Traci Kennedy and tending to the child when Scott Kennedy fled the scene of the accident, Olson said.

Witnesses said the man ran to a nearby golf course.

Blum said he was able to flag down a passing motorist for help and used his portable phone to call paramedics.

The Blums were also taken to the Mission Viejo hospital where they were treated for minor injuries and released.

“We are very thankful to be alive, especially because of our four children,” Joseph Blum said. “The officers and the paramedics took one look at our car and said it was one of the worst accidents they had ever seen. It’s pretty remarkable that we were able to walk away. Some big guy upstairs was watching over us.”

The driver of the Toyota, Sandra Denise Bradley, 24, and her child were not injured in the accident.