Woman, 21, Killed in High-Speed Crash
A 21-year-old Valencia woman speeding to her job in Thousand Oaks was killed Tuesday morning when she lost control of her car and it plunged 125 feet off the Ronald Reagan Freeway, authorities reported.
Elona L. Widman died instantly after crashing her 1994 Honda Del Sol at 7:20 a.m., about halfway between Rocky Peak Fire Road and Kuehner Road in Simi Valley, California Highway Patrol Officer Scott Peterson said.
“How many times have you heard the old cliche that ‘speed kills?’ ” Peterson said. “That’s definitely what happened here.”
According to the officer, Widman was driving “well in excess” of 75 mph when she swerved to avoid a car in the fast lane.
After veering into the center divider, Widman over-corrected, sending her car spinning across the freeway lanes through the guardrail and over the edge, Peterson said. The vehicle landed on the driver’s side.
Although she was wearing a seat belt, the impact caused Widman to suffer massive head injuries and a broken back, Peterson said.
The driver Widman swerved to miss told officers that he was traveling more than 75 mph.
At the time of the crash, Widman was headed to her job as a dental assistant. Today would have been her birthday, Peterson said.
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