Man, 76, Dies After Car Hits Tree

A 76-year-old man crashed into a tree in Garden Grove and died Monday morning, officials said.

Authorities believe Joseph Paul Sanchez might have lost control of his car after suffering diabetes-related difficulties.

Witnesses first spotted Joseph Paul Sanchez swerving and cutting off other cars while driving at high speed southbound on Valley View Avenue in Cypress, according to Sgt. Ken Whitley of the Garden Grove Police Department.

Sanchez crashed into a tree near a Chevron gas station at 11971 Valley View St. about 8:30 a.m. His engine burst into flames on impact, witnesses said.

“He struck it just about head on,” Whitley said. “He had a medical alert necklace. We’re assuming that he had some type of health problem that kept him from operating the vehicle. My best guess is he was in insulin shock.”

Denise Reinking, a nurse, was being driven to work by her 16-year-old son when they noticed the car wrapped around the tree, with the hood engulfed in fire.

“There were flames all around,” she said. “His door was completely jammed shut.”

Employees from the nearby gas station raced to put out the small engine fire with an extinguisher, Reinking said. She ran to the passenger side of the car to check on the victim’s condition.

“He had no pulse and was not breathing,” Reinking said. “His steering wheel was completely against his chest.”

Paramedics from the Garden Grove Fire Department arrived on the scene soon after and tried lifesaving techniques. Sanchez was taken to Los Alamitos Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead an hour later from massive internal injuries, Whitley said.