1 Killed, Several Hurt After Head-On Crash on Rain-Slick Road

A 21-year-old man was killed Friday when he was thrown from his Mercedes in a four-vehicle pileup on Santiago Canyon Road in unincorporated Orange County, police said.

Several other people were injured in the 5:05 p.m. crash, which investigators blamed on speed that was excessive for the rain-slick road.

One person was in extremely critical condition at Western Medical Center-Santa Ana, nursing supervisor Michael Finton said.

Police said witnesses estimated that all of the vehicles involved were traveling 55 to 60 miles an hour.

“There’s only one message here: You have to slow down,” said officer Michael Lundquist of the California Highway Patrol. “In heavy rain, everyone slows down, but in drizzle it’s just business as usual. That just doesn’t work.”

According to police, the Mercedes hit the Accord head-on. The Accord then spun to the right and was broadsided by a pickup truck. The Mercedes then spun into a white Acura.

That accident was one of several rain-related incidents late Thursday and Friday, including one in which a big rig overturned on the eastbound Garden Grove Freeway east of Beach Boulevard.

The freeway was closed for about three hours while police investigated the incident.

Officers said the truck driver apparently lost control of the vehicle on the slick freeway, hit a Ford Explorer in another lane, then struck the concrete median.

The truck driver was hospitalized, and the driver of the Ford was treated for minor injuries, CHP officer Mark Reeves said.

Costa Mesa was the site of two accidents Thursday night: a three-car collision on Newport Boulevard at 19th Street that injured three people, one critically; and a single-car crash on Placentia Avenue near 18th Street.

In the first incident, police said a van driven by Manuel Meza, 20, of Whittier struck a Ford Escort driven by Legelin Saraus, 34, of Bellflower. Saraus’ passenger, 88-year-old Frank Clendenen, was critically injured.

The Escort also hit a Toyota driven by Julio Ruiz, 41, of Costa Mesa, and an unidentified passenger, who were injured but not seriously.

Just as that crash was clearing, Brian A. Glarner, 41, of Newport Beach was northbound on Placentia Avenue when his Mercedes struck a light pole. Police said Glarner, who was hospitalized in critical condition at Western Medical Center-Santa Ana, may have been driving under the influence of alcohol.

A passenger in the vehicle was not injured.

Costa Mesa Police Lt. Dale Birney said weather appeared to have been a factor in both of those incidents.

“I was telling people I am out there doing an anti-rain dance today,” he said.

The weekend forecast, however, called for possible drizzle.

“It’s going to be mostly cloudy with fog . . . for Saturday and Sunday night and morning, with a chance of hazy sunshine in the afternoon,” said metrologist Robert Balfour with the National Weather Service in San Diego.

Weekend temperatures will be normal for this time of year, he said: highs in the low to mid-60s, nighttime lows in the upper 40s.

Tuesday will likely bring more rain, Balfour said, followed by clearing and sunshine on Wednesday.

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Times writer Janet Wilson contributed to this report.

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Sprinkles

After two days of light rain, Orange County is still drier than normal. City totals for 48 hours ended 4 p.m. Friday and Santa Ana seasonal comparisons:

Anaheim: .29

Dana Point: .24

Fullerton: .28

Irvine: .21

Laguna Beach: .28

Newport Beach: .12

San Juan Capistrano: .28

Santa Ana: .29

Seasonal Comparisons

Year to date: 5.19

Last year to date: 12.66

Normal to date: 7.25

Source: WeatherData