Woman killed in traffic collision

Jackson Bell

An elderly driver was killed after she made a U-turn and was

broadsided by an oncoming truck, police said.

Burbank resident Muriel May Damotta, 80, suffered serious injuries

in the collision and was taken to County-USC Medical Center. She was

pronounced dead on arrival, Burbank Police Sgt. William Berry said.

The crash occurred at 7:15 a.m. Wednesday in the 300 block of

North Buena Vista Street. Damotta, who was traveling southbound on

Buena Vista, had just pulled over to the curb to pick up a friend,

80-year-old Marie Fortier. Damotta pulled away from the curb and

attempted to make a U-turn, turning into an oncoming truck driven by

Jose Jesus Diaz, Berry said.

Fortier, a Burbank resident, was taken to County-USC Medical

Center and released Thursday morning, hospital spokeswoman Adelaida

De La Cerda said.

Diaz and his wife, who was riding in the truck’s passenger seat,

were taken to Providence St. Joseph Medical Center for minor injuries

and released.

The accident is still under investigation. Berry would not say

whether Damotta was making an illegal U-turn at the time of the

collision.

“Drivers can make a U-turn at any intersection unless signs posted

say they can’t,” he said. “But they always have to yield to oncoming

vehicles.”

Anyone who witnessed the collision is encouraged to call Det. Paul

Orlowski at 238-3100 during the day and at 238-3000 after 5 p.m.