Woman Killed, 3 in Family Injured as Vehicle Overturns

A woman was killed and her husband and two young sons were injured Sunday when their Jeep Wrangler went out of control and rolled over several times on Santiago Canyon Road.

California Highway Patrol Officer Angel Johnson said Irene Lepore, 29, of Silverado Canyon was ejected from the vehicle. She was taken to Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center in Mission Viejo, where she died.

Johnson said that Lepore’s two sons, ages 3 and 11, and her husband, Jack Lepore, 35, were also ejected from the vehicle.

“At this point it doesn’t appear that they were wearing seat belts and the 3-year-old was not in a car seat,” Johnson said. California law requires children 4 years or younger, or who weigh less than 40 pounds, to be secured in a child’s car seat while riding in a vehicle.

Jack Lepore and the 11-year-old boy were taken to Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills, where they were treated and released. Andrea Pronk, spokeswoman for Children’s Hospital at Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center, said the 3-year-old was in serious condition in the pediatric intensive-care unit.

According to a CHP report, Jack Lepore was driving north on Santiago Canyon Road at 6:25 p.m. when he swerved to avoid hitting a car that stopped to turn into a driveway south of Modjeska Canyon Road.

Johnson said the Jeep was traveling between 55 and 60 m.p.h. Lepore lost control and the vehicle rolled over several times, he said.