Testimony in truck crash trial continues
In a day of court shortened by various delays, defense counsel Edward Murphy concluded his examination of defendant Marcos Costa after hours of questioning about the exact details of the runaway truck crash that killed two people in La Cañada Flintridge in April 2009.
Murphy asked Costa, 46, on Monday to answer through a Portuguese translator a series of queries about his moment-by-moment recollections of the final descent his truck took down Angeles Crest Highway after its brakes had given out. As during the start of Costa’s testimony last week, Murphy used a video of the highway to illustrate the exact route Costa would have taken as he approached Foothill Boulevard.
Costa’s voice grew agitated, though restrained, when he was asked to recollect for the court the moment when the truck barreled through a red light and collided head-on with the car that carried Angel Posca, then 58, and his 12-year-old daughter Angelina, killing them both.
After Murphy asked if he saw any cars in front of the truck as it entered the intersection two signals north of Foothill, Costa said no, “Except the little red car, and I hit it right in the middle, and I could see the face of the driver, and he was desperate, and I hit it right in the middle.”
“Did you look in the eyes of the driver?” Murphy asked.
“Yes, saw in his eyes. He was looking at me and I was looking at him and he was desperate same as I was,” said Costa.
Later, Murphy questioned Costa about the circumstances surrounding his initial testimony in the wake of the accident, specifically about whether Costa had inquired as to the wellbeing of the Poscas. Costa said he asked two firefighters and three policeman and wasn’t given any information.
Costa’s testimony concluded with Murphy asking him about his thoughts after the accident had concluded.
“I thought if something happen [sic], I wish it had been with me,” said Costa. “I didn’t want to hurt anybody.”
On Tuesday Costa will be cross-examined by Deputy District Atty. Carolina Lugo.