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UPDATED: Lancaster crash kills four, victims ID’d

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The crash sent both vehicles off the road into a ditch near 10th Street East and Avenue G in Lancaster. (Photo by ED FROMMER)
The crash sent both vehicles off the road into a ditch near 10th Street East and Avenue G in Lancaster. (Photo by ED FROMMER)

LANCASTER – Four people were killed Saturday evening when a car and pickup truck crashed in a rural intersection and ended up in a ditch, authorities said.

The deceased have been identified as 49-year-old Lancaster resident Arturo De La Torre, 22-year-old La Mirada resident Marissa Fritz, 17-year-old Breanna Heyrend and 17-year-old Roland Mohan.

The fatal collision occurred around 6:27 p.m. on 10th Street East and Avenue G.

Not wearing seatbelts played a role in two of the deaths, authorities said. (ED FROMMER)
Not wearing seatbelts played a role in two of the deaths, authorities said. (ED FROMMER)

According to a California Highway Patrol report, a 1999 Honda Civic was traveling northbound on 10th Street East and failed to stop at a posted stop sign at the Avenue G intersection. A 1997 Toyota Tacoma traveling eastbound on Avenue G was broadsided by the Honda, the CHP report states. Avenue G has the right of way at the intersection and is not controlled by a traffic control device or sign.

The collision sent both vehicles off the road and into a ditch.

Three of the five people in the Honda Civic died – 22-year-old driver Marissa Fritz and the two 17 year olds. The teens were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the collision, according to the CHP report. The other two passengers in the Honda were 20-year-old Adrian Ruiz of La Mirada and 19-year-old Steven Heyrend. Ruiz suffered major injuries and Heyrend sustained moderate injuries. Both were transported to a local hospital for treatment.

A passenger in the pickup truck, 49-year-old Arturo De La Torre was also killed in the collision. The driver, 34-year-old Erazmo Arroyoayala of Lancaster, suffered major injuries in the collision.

The crash remains under investigation.

** EARLIER STORY, POSTED SATURDAY, SEPT. 21**

LANCASTER – Four people were killed Saturday evening when two vehicles crashed in a rural intersection and ended up in a ditch, authorities said. The fatal collision occurred around 6:27 p.m. on 10th Street East and Avenue G and involved a red pickup truck and a black sedan.

“Evidence suggests one of the vehicles ran a stop sign and broadsided another vehicle and propelled them both into this ditch,” said Sgt. Tom Lackey of the California Highway Patrol.

Investigators were still on scene late Saturday night, and specific details on the crash were not immediately available. Lackey said the victims appeared to be young adults in their 20s, and at least two of the victims were not wearing seatbelts.

“Not wearing seatbelts played a role in some of the deaths,” Lackey said.

Three other people involved in the crash are in critical condition.

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Filed Under: Lancaster

78 comments for "UPDATED: Lancaster crash kills four, victims ID’d"

  1. This does not look like your normal car crash site. The truck is totally demolished and looks like it has been cut apart with a laser or torch or something. DEFINATELY large burn area behind as well. And is that a bull? Much more went on here. I’d say “weapons” involved.

    • These are kids. nothing was done like that. Grow Up and stop wasting your time with negativity. Let the families Grieve. Let the Victims rest in piece. If you have nothing nice to say don’t say nothing at all.

  2. Candlelight Memorial saturday sept 28, 2013 5pm at location of accidenr in memory of all deceased… come with postive attitude no negativity…

  3. Roland Was An Amazing Guy.I Loved Him Like A Brother. My Prayers Go Out ToBoth Of TheFamilies Involved In This Tragaty. Im Sorry Roland I Wasn’t There For You.I LoveYou !! Your Home Now.

  4. I am Roland Mohan’s mother. I am so truly sorry for your lose. Roland’s brother and sister send there love and prayers. You are in our thoughts.

  5. I just heard about the accident today and am completely devastated for all of the families involved. My son grew up playing in little league w/ three of these kids and they were all great kids! I know the families were extremely close knit and are devastated by such great loss! Please everyone, do the right thing and pray for these families, as this is what I’m sure they could use the most! My heart goes out to each and every person who knew and loved them! -Heidi

  6. I am so very sorry for the De La Torre family, my name is sunshine diaz, I am on facebook and the sherrif also has my phone number. My niece and I were first on the scene and the only two people who acted to save the lives of all parties involved. The cowards that stood over us while we were in that ditch scoffed at us and drove off, my niece was the first one to call 911, while the other idiots took photos and refused to help us. Only one gentleman came out of his car and stood among us, still to those who were to scared of a lawsuit, I hope only someone helps you someday the way you wouldn’t help us. My niece and I will forever live with the fact that when tragedy happens, pictures and fears of lawsuits will be thought of first.

    • WOW! I commend you and only wish that there were more people like you in the world that think and act selflessly…My mother rolled her car one morning in icy conditions, she counted 8 cars headlights drive past while she hang upside down in the seatbelt. 1 !! 1 !! person stopped, crawled inside helped mom til paramedics came, turns out it was the mother of a friend of mine. That friend and his family were in my life until after high school when they moved away. ( The accident happen when I was in 2nd GRADE! )
      I Drove big rigs for a few years and ALWAYS stopped if there were no emergency vehicles on site….. God Bless You, God Bless All Families Involved…AND SHAME ON YOU IF YOU WERE ONE OF THE PICTURE HOUNDS!! GodSpeed……

    • I’ve been trying to post a message to you but this site wouldn’t let me comment for several days. I was hoping I could speak to you about what might have occurred that evening. Please contact me as soon as possible. My name is Maria my phone number is 886-2208. Thank you

  7. Roland was a good friend and Steven an his family are like family to me an I have to say tHis police report is [removed] the stop signs go easy to west or west to east so how could the truck have the right away if they were going north

  8. With the next pick in the 2013 baseball draft , Heaven selects Roland Mohan! Now you play on the best team around, an angel in the outfield. RIP from El dorado

  9. MARISSA was one of the nicest people i knew she would never try and hurt anyone im sure she got distracted and didnt seee it she HAS A 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER none of u understand that she would never risk leaving her behind!!! she would never wanna hurt her little sister what happend is beyond horrible i know this family adrian ruiz is also one of the nicest men i know with a young baby i thank god he made it and i pray he gets better as for marissa she is goin to be an angel she was a good person !!! and INSTEAD of judging her or thinkin bad just realize the tragedy and understand she was a mother!!!! IM SORRY FOR ANYONE WHO DIED its a horrible thing .. just please dont be rude .. that family is a super close family they are all in so much pain they lost three members im sorry to u all i love u all

  10. I Loved Roland With All My Heart. He Was The Most Greatest Guy I Could Ever Have. He Was Always There For Me No Matter What. I Know 4 Lives Were Taking. Its Just A Tragic Moment For Everybody. I Always Knew Of Role Like My Big Brother. I Miss Him So Much. This Goes To Show Me I Always Need To Wear My Seatbelt No Matter What. I Love You Roland. And Be With All Of You That Has lost Someone Someone Special. I Remember Back I’m May Mg Friend Neill (Nick) Boston Passed Away Similar To This And I Just Remember Each Day I’m In The Road Something Can Always Happen. I Always Say Life Is To Short, So Don’t Take It For granite Because just Like All Of The Kids And Adults And My 2 Best Friends That Have Passed Away Because Of A Terrible Accident, I Won’t Be Able To See Them But I Know They Are In A Better Place.

  11. Some of the victim’s loved ones are logging on and reading your comments which is only hurting them more. I knew Marissa personally and she was one of the most loving, kind hearted people on the face of the earth. She never judged anyone, and certainly would never kick someone when they were down. At 22 years old WHO HASN’T ever made a mistake in judgement? Nobody deserves what happened in that accident. We should be praying for the victims as well as their families & friends, not placing blame and assuming we know what happened… or, worse yet, that we have never made mistakes of our own. As someone more than twice Marissa’s age, I only wish that I could be half the person she was.

    • My sons played baseball for years with these boys and often Breanna was there. They are wonderful kids!! I pray for them and their family!! And I agree with you NO ONE deserves what happened in that accident. I am so very sorry for the loss of such wonderful young people! Dakota’s mom

    • ACCORDING TO A CHP REPORT “a 1999 Honda civic was traveling NORTH BOUND ON 10TH ST EAST AND FAILED TO STOP AT A POSTED STOP SIGN ON AVE G” PLEASE READ THE STORIES TWO OR THREE TIMES BEFORE LEAVING A COMMENT!

  13. so sorry for the accident at the site and my family lost a very good friend at that site and the cross that is out there is the one we put up for our friend and now there will be four and its so sad that we have to lose our love ones and i just wish they would put a 4 way stop there and or a flashing light so people would stop. so sorry for the familys lost. rip

  14. Perhaps the stop sign should have been bigger, with flashing red lights on it. Or better yet, maybe it should have been written in SPANISH.

    • y in spanish the person that ran the stop sign has a white name im sure she knew english the person on the tacoma had the right away and hes the only one that seems to have a hospanic name so go read the article before u assume [removed] or read it well .

      • That is exactly what I was thinking, the person whom ran the stop sign did not have a Hispanic name. Wow please read before you post anything negative, here are families mourning the loss of there loved ones and people decide to post negative. That is the main reason our society is the way they are. If you have nothing nice to say don’t say it. On the other hand, may god have there souls rest in peace because he is the only one that will bring closure to the families loss.

      • George Smith please have some respect…i am Mexican and tragic losses always affect everyone no matter what race…So sad this happened…RIP… in my prayers.

    • George Smith…. shut your piece of [removed] mouth and read the story correctly or can you not read? live where lost here it could be you or your family next so shut the [removed] up and have some respect [removed].

        • I read the post just fine… It seems fitting that a P.O.S. like YOU would say crap like this when family’s are trying to find out answers and mourn the loss of 4 Lives… This is typical of you TROLLS that search the news sites and hide behind a computer screen & keyboard and stir up tension… Its persons LIKE YOU that turn with no signal, turn right when you have a red light and I have a green left arrow…and ask for CHANGE and when I say “I am sorry I have none” you throw me an attitude…. Oh and By The Way…. I am not Latino but I was considered back in the day as a “”WOP””…. But to say on a PUBLIC FORUM… “the stop should have been Spanish”… wait til U take a ride to Twin Towers…You will be wishing you knew Spanish…. J E R K …… Now Put That In Your Pipe And Smoke It…. SUCKA… :-)

  15. I fell for the people in this tragic accident I lost my brother on Hwy 138. This accident happen in unicorporated LA County area but the county and both cities could do more to improve road safety.

    They have stop signs now with small solar panel’s and LED Lights that flash in the Stop Signs now that could be installed cheaply if we put pressure on our elected officials to spend the money and have them all over the valley by the end of the year.

    But it takes ur voice!!! Also car accident r the number #1 killer of young people and I would like to see drivers education taught All four years in small courses at all the local Highschools starting with pressuring AVUHSD Board.

  16. We have to teach our children since the are little about life’s responsibilities, some of them are little some of them are really huge; but everything is important and it matters.
    I am on my early 20s and I have a child already, I’m trying to be a good example for my little one.
    My condolences for the families who lost those children and father.

    Remember if you live in the AV watch out for all mobile apparatus, my mom almost got killed last week by avenue S and 52 East while she was ready to cross the street with the walking sign on, the car didn’t stop the red light, al least she was paying attention and jump back to

  17. i swear people have no respect ! all thesse comments are
    are soo rude ! 4 lives have been taken, yes people make
    mistakes but its no ones bussiness to judge ! let their families
    morn , if people dont have nice things to say, please keep your
    comments to yourself! a little baby girl lost her mother ,no clue
    to know whats going on ! my heart goes out too the families
    & my prayers. Miss you Marissa , always in our hearts as well
    as for Breanna & Roland, Authuro Gone,but never forgotten.

  18. i swear people have no respect ! all thesse comments are
    are soo rude ! 4 lives have been taken, yes people make
    mistakes but its no ones bussiness to judge ! let their families
    morn , if people dont have nice things to say, please keep your
    comments to yourself! a little baby girl lost her mother ,no clue
    to know whats going on ! my heart goes out too the families
    & my prayers. Miss you Marissa , always in our hearts as well n
    as Brea

  19. It is heartbreaking how many lives are lost, or changed forever due to motor vehicle accidents in the Antelope Valley and surrounding areas. Weekends are especially bad in this respect, and for many various reasons.
    My sincere sympathy goes to all involved, wether “at fault” or not. These traumatic events affect many more people than those directly involved.
    I would ask that each of us pray for all involved and also be brave enough to review our own driving habits to see if each of us could be a safer driver.
    May The Lord, in His way, bring peace to those suffering at this time and give them strength to cope with the decisions now ahead of them.

  20. We are very sorry for the loss of these beautiful lives. I pray God gives the families strength to get through this very sad time. God Bless you all!

  21. Location, location, location! I bet Rex Parris uses this accident as justification for a traffic circle. I drove out there this morning at the depth of that ditch on the side of the intersection is criminal. Someone needs to sue the city of Lancaster, some of those people were probably alive when they went into the ditch.

  22. My good friend arturo lost his father in this horrible accide. My heart is broken for him, we are so sorry art. Your dad will be your guardian now

  23. My fervent, heartfelt prayers are with the families involved … my son & his friend were killed last year in Feb at 20th west & ave J (they were both wearing seat belts, the driver who hit them was drunk) … it’s a nightmare to lose a loved one so suddenly and blaming the people who died doesn’t bring one bit of comfort to those dealing with this loss … we need to keep our speculations to ourselves and send up prayers for the survivors and for the families of those who died.

  24. The family that is affected are childhood friends of mine. My heart and prayers go out to them. No family should have to endure such pain. Don’t forget when you were young and living life how fortunate you were to survive all those dumb ideas you had! May god bless all those affected.

  25. I have known these kids since they were little, I am heartbroken at the loss for them as well as the other driver and their family. In one tragic event a mother lost most of her children and has one critical and a daughter has lost her mother. my heart goes out to them, I could not imagine what the pain could possibly be, nor can most of you posting here. Sit back and reflect on your own lives before judging that of someone else. People make mistakes unfortunately some take lives and some don’t. RIP Marissa,Breanna,roland & Arturo may god welcome you to his kingdom with open arms. my heart also goes out the entire family’s!

    • Really dude? That’s an ignorant comment. Don’t you know the reason behind them getting licenses is so the government can keep track of them…. duhhhhh

      • dana,

        the INS doesn’t look for you unless you’ve applied for a green card and have an issue with your paperwork. It’s not physically possible for them to trace illegals who’ve applied for licenses, not unless Obama makes a new department just for that, which he wouldn’t do.

    • really that is a super stupid and ignorant comment, in this case it had nothing to do with that! the young last v that ran the sign was from California! loved inn Lancaster fir a, while and was not an immigrant! people have lost their children and at least one child has lost her mother!!!

      • I hate when I don’t proof read I meant the young girl that ran the sign and she lived in Lancaster for

    • I hope the lord judges you justly, I’m happy you have to live with yourself the old me would have wanted to harm you the saved me see’s your harming yourself.

    • You obviously are ignorant to the facts of this situation. The driver was NOT an illegal. People make grave mistakes on the road regardless of their citizenship.

    • Shut the hell up you little jerk,now is not the time for that.You don’t sound like your too far from those illegals your talking about.

    • Wow, you are one ignorant piece of [removed]. The one who ran the stop sign was a 22 year old woman who was not an illegal!
      You are as ignorant as they come for that comment!

  28. Regardless of traffic control speed limits, lights, signs, or lighting around the intersections, it’s the driver responsibility to follow laws and rules. People make choices to drive under the influence of any kind, illegal drugs or medical prescriptions and of course alcohol. Then there’s, not paying attention, sun in your eyes, not enough sleep, texting, on the cell phone, dancing, or acting like a fool with the people in the vehicle.

    • I do wonder where people are learning to drive over the last few years seeming to not know about defensive driving skills.

      Simple things like coming to a four way stop with traffic coming into the intersection, what do you do?
      A) Wait a second to see if the other car is going to stop?
      B) Go ahead stop and then proceed through the interception, knowing for sure that the other driver is going to stop.
      C) Take the opportunity while stopped to TEXT your friends
      D) Pie

      Same goes for what to do when you’re at a stop light and it turns green.
      A) Gun it, you’ve got a Green
      B) Let the light get a bit “stale” Green then go.
      C) Check Facebook for updates on your wonder phone
      D) More Pie

      Someone posted about the speed limits up here and how high they are. I agree and disagree with that point of view. Can’t tell you how many times I have been going the speed limit or a bit above on RV and had some turkey on my tail who wants to go faster and is riding my bumper. Or come up behind someone who is going seriously under the speed limit and when you get by them, TEXTING or Yacking on Wonder Phones. There’s not enough cops up in the AV to do anything about this nonsense, and anything that TRex or the cities would do would be to increase revenue from writing more tickets….can anyone say Red Light Cameras in TRex land?

  29. I agree that we need to lower speed limits. The speed limits were justified when there were 20,000 people living in the Antelope Valley, but there are FAR too many cars on the road now to justify these speeds. It’s crazy! I also don’t understand why there are ANY 4 way uncontrolled intersections in this Valley, except for residential areas. How much could it possibly cost to put a stop sign in?
    I realize this won’t keep ALL people from speeding, or from running stop signs, but at least it’ll make people more aware. The victim in the accident didn’t stand a chance.

    • You do realize the accident involved was not a 4-way uncontrolled right? Only Ave G had the right of way. The civic traveling down 10th E ignored a stop sign. The driver of the civic is to blame, for whatever reason, she blew a stop sign, and t-boned the truck. However, she died, so all that matters now, is the aftermath

      • Did you write that last sentence to start and argument? You are one heartless !@#$%. I believe Satan is really running rampant these days. What’s sad is things do come back at ya.

  31. These crashes happen here in AV all the time since moving here in 1993. I don’t know why they call them accidents, they’re caused by stupid untrained drivers who don’t follow the laws. Texting while driving doesn’t help either, I see it every day from my backyard. This valley is out of control with the lack of law enforcement. It’s time to lower speed limits since there are more people living in the valley. When I stop for people crossing a street, they go around me and almost hit them. Palmdale has no idea how to make our streets safer near schools. It’s a mess with roads go from one to two lanes and then back to one lane to create bottle necks. It’s time to speak up at city meeting to have our voices heard. Large signs are needed to educate drivers on traffic laws.

    • The people who don’t stop at stop signs also do not follow the speed limit, reducing the speed limit would just hurt the law abiding good drivers out there.

      I have seen endless amounts of people in this valley just blow through stop signs; east side, west side, it doesn’t matter. Those are the people dying and killing people. Those are the ones causing traffic collisions, not the ones going the speed limit.

      I agree that the city needs to create more two lane roads, and keep them two lanes, so there are main roads so people do not fly down side streets, as much, as they do now.

    • Its not the lack of law enforcement its the parents in the AV that are the ones to blame the police cannot raise your kids nor be everywhere, I grew up there and I hold the morals my parents instilled in me vary close to my heart its how I will raise my kids. I moved out of the AV and I’m terrified whenever I have to go back its horrible I carry a 9mm every time I go shopping even to the damn 99 cent store people need to take responsibility it didn’t get that way over night I’m 27 I went to school with your kids and 85% were thugs and drug users by 13. And most of those thugs are parents now of 10 year old kids good luck AV.

      • There we go with the parents,it’s true there is very little law enforcement around the AV. I hate going into town because of the way people drive but it’s not just teenagers.I’ve seen people that look professional,sheriffs, and teenagers on cells. The kids are busy trying to prove to themselves and others that they drive as well as grown ups.Grown ups leave late so they speed to get to where they are going on time. Guess you have to blame the grown ups parents too. This all comes down to choice and brains,so don’t blame the parents. Blame the judicial systems,ok we’ll just spank their hands and tell them don’t do it again .Jails are like hotels,TV,3 squares, gyms,lay around all day to think of something mischievous you can plan,personal visits.What’s there to be afraid of? Blame the government not the parent,you can’t carry a 17 or 18 year old to school if he or she doesn’t want to go. Granted there are those parents that sit around doing drugs with their own children,what is that?The true thing here is choice: we choose to speed,we choose blow stop signs,drive under the influence,talk and text while driving.When law enforcement sees them doing it it’s like nothing. You can’t make prisoners do hard labor cause then the human rights gets involved,so what do we do? We all need to man or woman up,be responsible for our own actions. Choices People.

    • You Manuel are a pathetic person “accidents” happen. People make mistakes and this happened to be a horrific one. Who are you to judge and say someone is a stupid untrained driver? The driver of that car LOST HER LIFE! She is a single mother of one and you are sitting here saying stupid comments when someone just lost a mother, a daughter, a son, and a father? Your comment was unneeded and not necessary. A lot of people are grieving right now; so HAVE SOME RESPECT!

      • Sorry, but all I can think about is how many times this has almost happened to a car I was in; that this could have happened to a family member or close friend.
        There are just far to many of these “accidents” happening up here & it comes down to the drivers that cause them.
        If you are behind the wheel you are the one responsible!
        You can’t go out for 1 day w/out seeing drivers pass on the right in school zones, intentionally blow thru stop signs, run lights, not even slow down for right turns on red – oh, not to mention all the wonderful new bike lanes being used for personal driving lanes. These are not “accidental” but just drivers so wrapped up in themselves & their own lives that they don’t have to follow those speed limits (lowering isn’t going to help since they don’t follow them anyways), red zones, handicap parking or any other traffic law. Many of these drivers just don’t give a sh**.

    • The stop sign is on Challenger (10th East), which runs North/South. So the setting sun is very unlikely to be at blame for running the stop sign.

  33. GOOD JOB ANTELOPE VALLEY TIMES, FOR LETTING US SEE WHAT THESE SCENES LOOK LIKE.
    UNLIKE THE OTHER LOCAL PRINT MEDIA, THAT RARELY PUTS A PHOTO TO THE STORY!

      • NO!! MANUEL, WHY? DO YOU? LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE I SLOW DOWN AND GAWK!
        GLAD IT WASNT ME!! IM TRULY SORRY FOR THE LOSS OF LIFE, BUT AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE ANTELOPE VALLEY TIMES, DEATH REIGNS OVER THE ANTELOPE VALLEY! THIS IS THE SAME AREA WHERE THAT DRUNK DRIVER THAT KILLED HIS FRIEND FLED THE SCENE. THIS WAS BACK IN 2011 AND HE JUST BARELY GOT SENTECED LAST MONTH.

  34. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families involved. Too many people killed on these rural roads…a sad day.

  35. Not surprising. I travel Ave G most days and more then once a vehicle blows that STOP at 10th. Guess STOP and CROSS TRAFFIC DOES NOT STOP means nothing.

  36. Sending prayers, this crash looks horrific, 1 of the worst I’ve seen in pictures so far this year, that’s why its important to wear your seat belt at all times, cause of crashes like this.