Oxnard Pair Killed in Collision

An Oxnard couple were killed early Tuesday in Tarzana when a suspected drunk driver hit their car head-on, police said.

Aaron Hawkins, 45, and his wife, Mary Hawkins, 42, were pronounced dead on arrival at Northridge Hospital Medical Center and Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center, respectively, Los Angeles Police Officer Steve Schiltz said.

Police said Van Nuys resident Ramon Gonzalez, 46, was driving drunk when he plowed into the Hawkins’ car. Gonzalez was later booked on two counts of vehicular manslaughter.

The collision occurred when Gonzalez ran a red light at Topham Street and Tampa Avenue in Tarzana around 12:40 a.m. and barreled into a Geo Metro on the opposite side of Topham, police said.

The compact car was propelled more than 100 feet before Gonzalez’s car turned and ran into a utility pole, Schiltz said.

Aaron Hawkins was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident but it was uncertain whether his wife was wearing one, Valley Traffic Detective Jim Mann said.

Schiltz said two witnesses first noticed Gonzalez driving “crazily” on Balboa Boulevard. They told officers that before the collision at Tampa, Gonzalez’s Chevrolet Caprice sideswiped one car and collided with another on Balboa before speeding off toward Tampa. The witnesses then followed Gonzalez as he sped through intersections, often on the wrong side of the road, Schiltz said.

When the compact car was hit, Schiltz reported witnesses as saying that Gonzalez’s sedan was traveling between 65 and 80 m.p.h.

“He reeked of the smell of alcoholic beverages,” Schiltz said.

Gonzalez was being held in the jail ward at County-USC Medical Center in fair condition, police said.