LANCASTER – A Lancaster woman and toddler died after they were thrown from a minivan that collided with a car in east Lancaster Saturday evening.
Three-year-old Megan Solano died at the hospital Sunday morning and 57-year-old Herminia Espinoza died at the scene of the collision, which occurred around 6:45 p.m. Saturday (May 3) on Lancaster Blvd. at 25th Street East, authorities said.
Solano and Espinoza were two of six people in a 1994 Nissan Quest that collided with a 2012 Hyundai Sonata, according to Sgt. Dave Jennings of the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station.
“Preliminary information gathered at the scene revealed the driver of a 1994 Nissan Quest traveling south on 25th Street East failed to make a complete stop at Lancaster Blvd., and failed to yield to oncoming traffic,” Jennings stated. “As the Nissan crossed into Lancaster Blvd., a 2012 Hyundai Sonata traveling east on Lancaster Blvd. collided with it, hitting it on its front passenger door.”
“Both vehicles left the intersection together and came to rest on a large planter on the southeast corner of Lancaster Blvd and 25th Street East,” Jennings continued.
Three of the six people in the Nissan minivan were ejected from the vehicle, according to Jennings. Espinoza, the front passenger, was killed immediately; while the driver and toddler were critically injured, with the toddler succumbing to her injuries the next day.
“The remaining three in the Nissan were also seriously injured,” Jennings stated. “Witnesses at the crash scene indicated none of the Nissan’s passengers were wearing their seatbelts.”
The driver of the Hyundai was transported to Antelope Valley Hospital with critical injuries, according to Jennings.
Dalilah says
Looking at the scene, that was a great impact I hope the black car did speed up to create the accident with the mini van. Did he or she (black car) even break, when they saw the mini van turning? Some people want easy money. That impact was at high speed. And than again, some car colors are difficult to see, even at daylight. Have you seen the collision reports and color of vehicle involved?
Dalilah says
In pain for the family. I have been in similar circumstances, where you steal the right away. I’m very surprise to the impact. Maybe the oncoming car came from a crossing street, making a right speedy turn, onto the street where Ms Espinoza’s car was proceeding to make a left turn. Has anyone thought of that. I seen it happen. And the person who makes a left turn gets the blame.
Lets help the family out. They are not alone.
Liz says
Please … stop your negative comments….. it’s not about you or me… but about those poor children who will be without their mother…. The family who will have this hardship, yes financial hardship…. emotional physical recovery down the road.. Thank you Jackson.. for those words. Lets help the family brothers and sisters.
hector says
Too many comments about things that erelevent to the fact. Everybody is always acting like detectives and somehow want to blame race or social classe in the end. If anything we should have some compassion for those families involved. We all live in the antelope valley because we.most likely would be renting in the big city. If ur not happy here feel free to leave nobody’s holding u back. I feel for the lil girl because I have one myself. God bless all of you and make a difference in this valley with actions not by talking and talking. Action!!!people!!!
Garcia says
Come on people enough with stupid remarks that have nothing to do with the article. Rest in peace and hopefully the other people in the accident are healing.
CRIS says
GUYS REALLY PLEASE KEEP NEGATIVE COMMENTS TO YOUR SELF. EVERYONE IN THE CAR HAD SEAT BELTS ON..POLICE AND HOSPITAL STAFF HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN TO THE KIDS AND THEY ALL SAID THE LITTLE BABY WAS IN THE CAR SEAT ALSO. BUT PEOPLE THAT WENT TO THE ACCIDENT HELPED GET THEM OUT OF THE CAR BEFORE FIRE AND POLICE GOT TO THEM..
Shannon says
Thank you for clearing that up, it was really making me angry especially since my son was at children’s next to the kids room and I overheard family talking about it. Rumors need to stop and people need to hear the facts first
A richards says
So three people that were ejected had their seat belts on? So since you know details, did the buckles break? Did the belt material rip? Did the bolts holding the seat belts in shear off? You seem angry that people are commenting about the article and are telling us that we can’t…. This article is not the families personal property and the comments section is free speech as long as not trying to entice trouble…. The moderators would not allow it otherwise…. So please let is know in case we are driving a similar mini van with faulty seat belts!
John says
It is possible that some people on the scene had unbuckled the passengers from their seat belts and dragged them from the vehicle because they were afraid that the minivan would catch fire. Then some “witnesses” came after and saw the people lying in the street and assumed they were ejected from the vehicle. Eyewitnesses can be fallible.
AdolphOliverMuff says
Check brakes and tires on the Minivan. Lots of older cars around here that have not been properly maintained. Especially dangerous at night, in the rain, or when overloaded.
William says
Sorry for there loss. But running a stop sign or red light into oncoming traffic is just dumb. I drive a truck for a living and it happens way to often. I don’t feel sorry for the people that do this but kids belong in a car seat or booster seat if there under the age limit of the law.. I had someone pull in front of me and my family and my son was critically injured. Lucky no one died but my son was in the hospital for 4 months. Our family has suffered from carelessness drivers..
Claudia says
So sad and plz stop judging. Sometimes I go out with my sister we both have kids that need car seats. I make sure they all have them on. As she is driving were talking I look back and her 3 year old is taking her seat belt off. I have made her put it back on but sometimes she just won’t do it. I have my sister pull over and I put it back on. I glad she has out grown that stage and she no longer takes her seatbelt off. My condolences to the family heaven has a new little Angel.
Jason says
I seriously hope that youre talking about the belt in a car seat.
people says
I dont realy care if you were their or not their or if your latino, chinese, african american, middel eastern or whatever its commen sence people its been a law for a long time now and to address the fella who talked about latinos comming over here and having to conform to our laws? Well hell yeah they should if your going to come into this country hell yeah you should know the law thats a lame excuse dude!
Toni says
It doesnt matter what color you are or what country if you come here and want to drive, then you learn the laws and follow them. Simple as that.
Luchia says
Rest in peace
yesenia says
She had been at a gathering and i was gonna meet the next day to show my wedding pictures to the passenger woman that died!!! :..( when she ask me if i was going to go to the gathering the next day i said no and no:..( and she said come on dont say that cause we could be alive right now and tomorrow we dont know if it will be alive come and she said just say yes even if u can make it ! :..( i talk to her and her daugther and then i here the next day shes dead!!!!!!!!!!!! :..(! please dnt critize them if they didnt have a seat belt let that be a lesson to us cause is sure for me now i always put my seatbelt! i still cant believe shes dead!! :..(
Willie Wils says
The stereotype of Hispanics not wearing seat belts is not completely wrong, we live close to a border of a country that even though they have seatbelt laws in Mexico, they are not funded to enforce them and drivers education on importance of restraints for children and seat belt use is not taught like it is here. It is hard to come from a place and then have to adapt to the ways things are in a new place…. The best thing to do is help friends, co workers, and people you meet the importance of seat belts and car seats… Think about how you had to be reminded to put on your seat belt in the 80’s as it was not necessary and all of a sudden it was a law…. I remember growing up and a seat belt was used maybe on the freeway, but after awhile it came off so you could lay down, play… Or whatever….. So now people that have been raised one way and move here, help educate to limit these situations….
Anthony Barros says
Perhaps I can help educate you.
First, “Hispanics” is growing to be known as a label brown folks don’t like to identify with, including myself. I’d refrain from using it. Use “Latina/o”.
Second, why are you assuming she’s Mexican? Maybe she is, maybe she isn’t, but if you don’t know her, why would you assume? Are all “Hispanic” people to you Mexican? I’m from Bolivia and Ecuador. A lot of my friends in the AV are from El Salvador, Peru, and Panama. There are large populations of brown people in the AV that come from countries in South America. Yes, there are spanish speaking countries full of brown people that are NOT Mexico. It’s disrespectful and problematic to hold this view or say what you said because it erases my culture and identity as a Bolivian-Ecuadorian. It also erases South America as a continent in your mind, which is ignorant and ridiculous.
I understand that you might try to be coming from good intentions but it’s important for you to acknowledge how your comments are racist in assuming all “Hispanic” people are from Mexico. I hope you take the opportunity to reflect on what you said and educate yourself.
I’d also like to express my condolences to the family for the loss of a mother and child. <3
Willie wils says
Really, now the term “Hispanic” is offensive….. Geez, next brown people… What a joke, then from now on I say white people is offensive…. And as I clearly started out talking about the country we are bordered with…. Could care less where you came from, I don’t start crying when I am not labeled as 2nd generation from Europe…. Blah blah….. And no, I will not acknowledge my comments as racist because I am not….. Been to many countries south of us….. And I love Hispanic …. Uh, yikes, brown people culture…. Latin….. Geez, what do I use to not offend you? Amazing how traveling throughout central and South America I never run into easily offended “brown” people…. Only while in the US.
William says
Interesting. From Wikipedia.
“Latino (/læˈtinoʊ/ or /ləˈtinoʊ/)[1] is a term used chiefly in the United States to refer to people of Latin American extraction or descent, though the term has also been incorrectly used as a synonym for Hispanic. Hispanic is a narrower term which only refers to persons of Spanish-speaking origin or ancestry, while “Latino” is more frequently used to refer more generally to anyone of Latin American origin/ancestry, including Brazilians.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] The term latino is used to refer to males only or a combination of males and females in a group, whereas the term Latina is used to refer to females only.
The U.S. Government has defined Hispanic or Latino persons as being “persons who trace their origin or descent to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central and South America, and other Spanish cultures.”[12] The United States Census uses the ethnonym Hispanic or Latino to refer to “a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.”[13] The Census Bureau also explains that “[o]rigin can be viewed as the heritage, nationality group, lineage, or country of birth of the person or the person’s ancestors before their arrival in the United States. People who identify their origin as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish may be of any race.”[14] This, of course, means that, in accordance with the first paragraph of this article, the US Census and the OMB are incorrect. The AP Stylebook’s recommended usage of Latino in Latin America includes not only persons of Spanish-speaking ancestry, but also more generally includes persons “from — or whose ancestors were from — . . . Latin America, including Brazilians.”[11]”
I’m now more confused than ever. But, this discussion reminded me of a teevee show I saw recently regarding language usage and terms. I found out that I am a ‘gringo’. Really. Apparently, Mexicans thought early citizens of the United States speaking English sounded Greek to them “The dominant view among etymologists is that gringo is most likely a variant of griego ‘Greek’ speech (cf. Greek to me).” from Wikipedia.
Then, there is ‘Anglo’, again, from Wiki
“In the Southwest United States, Anglo, short for Anglo American, is used as a synonym for non-Hispanic Whites; that is, all European Americans (except Latin Americans), most of whom speak the English language but are not necessarily of English descent.[16] If language is taken into consideration the term Anglo-American also excludes Franco-Americans such as the Cajuns of Louisiana, but would include them when language is excluded as a criteria. The term Anglo has been regularly used by mainstream media such as the Los Angeles Times usually in broad reference to non-Hispanic, English-speaking white Americans of European descent.”
There will be a pop quiz tomorrow. I hope Anthony Barros is ready.
MP says
I find your response very hard to understand. Why should we as Americans give anyone coming to live in our country time to adapt to our laws. As Americans, if we were to go to another country and break one of their laws we would be thrown in jail for God only knows how long and have to fight tooth and nail to be released. But anyone that comes into our country should get a break so that we can teach them our laws? Sounds like BS to me. If you dont know the laws of the country that you are living in then you dont deserve to live in that country.
soapbox journal says
Even my chihuahua is strapped in, her carrier is secured by the seat belt and she is inside the carrier. My son would be dead if not for his seat belt that I made sure he had on, he was 5 years old.
Ishkil Obdi says
It is unfortunate that an adult made a choice not to place a seat belt on a child. This is inexcusable! Unfortunately, we saw the ultimate repercussions of such a foolish decision. Yes, I know we are supposed to be praying for the families of the departed. But now is the time to discuss the matter while many are paying their undivided and most sincere attention to this horrific accident caused by a foolish decision. The person who made the decision not to place a seat belt on the child has committed a crime and should be prosecuted to serve as an example of what happens when you break the law. The person who failed to place the seat belt on the child placed the child in the utmost danger and as a result, the child died.
saulo says
First of all im a friend to this family and its very disrespectful all the stupid comments ive been reading on here. There have been losses in the family and you people are sitting here talking about race and thinking you know the truth about them wearing seatbelts or not. Ive gone to see them in the hospitals and signs indicate they were wearing safety belts. Thanks for all the negative comments since its exactly what this family needs in times like these. Maybe we should all think before we say anything because we never know if were the next ones to fly out the window of a car that’s tumbling around.
Monique says
So sad what happened praying for the family. A.V needs more lights on these streets and this is not wht uwould call a suburban area anymore this is more city now with a larger population. We need more lighting, on these streets. Everyone knows ave. M to 50th st and so on is a short cut to Palmdale and there is no lights there, and there’s plenty if other streets out here with the same issues. Instead of all this solar stuff we need more street lights. The AV traffic laws sucks parents please make your kids first priorities and make them wear there seat belts .
gerry says
Monique, this accident happened at 6:45 pm. Sunset was not til 7:30 or so. It was plenty light out then. People have to drive better. People have to use seatbelts. When the driver gets out of the hospital, she should be charged with AT LEAST child endangerment because she drove without the child being properly seated.
Jackson says
A CHILD and MOTHER lost their lives in this tragedy. May they Rest in Paradise and may God give the family strength to pull through this tough time. With that said. Without definitive evidence, who are we to pass judgment or blame? If you weren’t there then you really don’t know. The last thing these families want to hear is your personal, radical, irrational opinions of what you think you know. I mean unless you are perfect, and have never made a mistake EVER in life. Then again, who am I right? Oh and if you witnessed this tragedy and continued to drive right past and not think to stop and help a fellow HUMAN (regardless of race, color, or crede) in need of urgent assistance; SHAME ON YOU!!! Condolences to the families.
not a "perfect" Latina says
Hey Jip Joe I wont call you a racist but shame on you for stereotyping them. You know many country folk believe in letting passengers sit in the cab of trucks that dont have seatbelts. Yes I said country folk because they come in all colors. BTW people also dont claim someone is racist just because a statement was made against a “perfect” race. Hopefully that’s food for thought
Good day sir
israel says
The speed limits need to be lower I use live in Lancaster but now stay in Denver and the speed limit is 40 on street and 55 on freeways. That is sad and get me mad that people don’t care about there kids to make them wear a seat belt
Jenn says
I don’t understand how any one can have children in the car without seatbelt’s! i have a 2 year old and a 4 month old and when others put my kids in their car seats i go back and double check that it is done right because i love my children and their is always accidents no matter where your at… so i have a lot of hate towards people that neglect their children or others children, because apparently this person driving didn’t care for the others in her vehicle…. i don’t understand what is happening out here in the AV but so many young lives are being stripped away out here because of stupid adults… if you don’t care about your self at least give the kids a chance to grow up… reading stuff like this hurts me so much… May God be with the rest of the victims because life is too short…
Jamie says
I saw this when it happened coming from the park with my children and immediately started praying for all parties involved as I drove by. So sad to see that there were so many in that car with no seatbelts on. I pray that God heal the critically injured with a speedy recovery and give strength to those who lost their loved ones in this accident. Such a horrible tragedy. ..
Chuck says
It’s a good thing you started praying as you drove, more people could have died. No need to jump out and render assistance…
get over yourself says
She did state she had her kids. Plus you dont even know what the situation was maybe medics were on scene already. Get over it . Not about that. Peoples life’s were lost. Focusing on wrong issue. Why do ppl have to be rude and judgemental of others.
Stephanie says
And what happens to the driver who doesn’t have everyone in a seatbelt and all children in carseats or seat belts? Please make sure everyone is secure so at least you have a chance. So sad!
Justme says
If caught by law enforcement you would be ticketed for not making sure all your passengers are safely secured in your vehicle. If caught in an accident then anything can happen.
Pat says
You are NOT riding in my car if you do not put your seatbelt on. Final Answer!
nicki says
Omg this is so sad may they RIP and may the ones in critical condition recover soon from their injuries
Saints says
Why why why…first obey traffic, wait for your turn..”you are not going anywhere if this happens to you”.. second NO ONE.. SHOULD BE IN YOUR CAR WITHOUT THEIR SEAT BELT, CAR SEAT, BOOSTER CHAIR.. NO EXCEPTIONS…. PS: I’ve seen so many accidents they happen so fast you won’t have time to react till is over..too late!!!
Jeff11 says
That spot has been needing to be a four wAy spot for a long long time!!! So sad rip too soon
Justme says
There are a lot of people that drive like complete idiots on Lancaster Blvd on the east end, Every year by the park people on their motorcycles drag race right there for hours. People at 30th blow through the 4 way stop at the blvd. That same day as this around noon I was headed east on Lanc and at 20th st E a car turning left to go south on 20 turned halfway into the intersection and almost turning into me. I am glad I was paying attention because they were not. A 4 way will do nothing. They need to patrol the BLVD more on the east end. Also 40th East up a little north they have drag races all the time. Between 30th and 40th on the BLVD people race down that road and find out its a rough road and hit poles.
Rose says
That is so sad!! But why wasn’t anybody wearing seatbelts?? Especially a 3 year old?
Jane says
“Witnesses said”. I have a hard time believing that witnesses to the car crash could tell if ALL six people weren’t wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. Guess the investigation will help clear this up.
Justme says
Bruising on the body will tell them right away.
Mistie says
I have always said… If you adults want to be [removed] idiots & gamble on your own life by nit wearing a seatbelt, what the [removed] ever! But do NOT risk the life of a poor innocent little child because your too lazy or you think you are the safest driver in the world (they are called “ACCIDENTS” for a [removed] reason)… STRAP THEM KIDS IN THEIR SEATBELTS!!!!! It’s our jobs as adults to PROTECT lil’ children, to keep them SAFE!!! DAMN IT… THIS PISSES ME OFF!!!!! >:-[
Jenn says
I agree with you 100% AV has been going to hell when it comes to taking care of children… more and more toddlers and teens keep dying out here and its making me paranoid to even go any where…
Adam west says
An accident is stating there is nobody to blame. There is here.
pacmann says
Too sad