Separate Accidents Claim Two O.C. Lives

A 36-year-old woman and a 2-year-old boy have died in separate Orange County traffic accidents.

Barbara Fridey of Irvine was killed when the Suzuki sport utility vehicle she was a passenger in collided with a Ford Explorer in Irvine, police said.

Police said the Suzuki, driven by Linda Salim, 27, of Lakewood, was turning from eastbound Bryan Avenue into the Marketplace shopping center when it was hit on the passenger side by the westbound Ford.

The Ford’s driver, Karen Haltman, 42, of Tustin, was in critical condition at UCI Medical Center. A 5-year-old female passenger was not injured, police said. Salim was in fair condition at UCI.

In Fountain Valley, a 2-year-old Santa Ana boy suffered a broken neck and punctured lung when the minivan he was riding in crashed into a tree Thursday.

The boy, whose name was not released, was not in a child-restraint seat, police said. He was taken to UCI Medical Center, where he died early Friday.

His mother, Palinda Boulom, and the driver of the van, Nonglak Phanouvong, 39, of Santa Ana, were treated for injuries.

Police said the van was westbound on Edinger Avenue near Richardson Street when the car jumped the curb and hit the tree.

Both accidents are under investigation, police said.