2 Killed, 9 Hurt in Car Accidents

Two people were killed and nine others hurt, including a seriously injured 13-year-old boy, in three separate car crashes late Sunday and early Monday in Woodland Hills, Winnetka and Val Verde, authorities said.

A 13-year-old boy suffered head injuries in a crash at 9 a.m. Monday at De Soto Avenue and Oxnard Street in Woodland Hills, said Bob Collis, a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman.

The boy was airlifted to Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles, where he was listed in serious condition in the intensive care unit late Monday, said Steve Rutledge, a hospital spokesman.

The boy’s 18-year-old brother was treated and released from the hospital Monday morning, said Rutledge, who declined to release either youth’s name.

The brothers were northbound on De Soto when their car was struck by a southbound car making a left turn onto Oxnard from De Soto, said Officer Jones of the LAPD’s Valley Traffic Division.

The driver of the second car, Alfredo Prieto, 34, of Canoga Park, a 10-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy suffered minor injuries, but declined to be taken to the hospital, Collis said.

Prieto was not arrested, Jones said.

In Winnetka, a Canoga Park woman was killed when her car collided with another at Mason Avenue and Sherman Way at 11:35 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Lilia Alvarez, 36, died at the scene, Jones said.

The driver of the other car, Richard Palacios, 23, of Canoga Park, and two 17-year-old passengers were taken to Northridge Hospital Medical Center.

Palacios was driving west on Sherman Way when his car collided with the car driven by Alvarez, who was traveling north on Mason Avenue, Jones said.

Palacios was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, Jones said. No charges had been filed late Monday.

In Val Verde, a 41-year-old man was killed in a head-on collision at 11:35 p.m. Sunday on Chiquito Canyon Road near Henry Mayo Road, authorities said.

The victim, Carl R. Hale of Val Verde, was northbound on Chiquito Canyon when his vehicle was struck head-on by Bradley L. Haney, 41, of Val Verde, who was southbound at a high rate of speed and crossed the double line, said Sgt. Rick Sirvony of the California Highway Patrol’s Newhall Station. Haney suffered minor injuries.

Sirvony said no charges had been filed late Monday. The crash remained under investigation.