The Antelope Valley Times

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14 Freeway crash injures 4

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ACTON – Four people, including an 8-year-old girl who was ejected, were injured Thursday in a single-vehicle rollover crash that shut down southbound lanes of the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway in the Acton area for about 45 minutes as two helicopters were landed to evacuate the patients.

The crash was reported around 5 p.m. Thursday, April 13, on the southbound side of the freeway south of Pearblossom Highway, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Two of the patients suffered critical injuries and the other two sustained moderate injuries, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

One of the injured was an 8-year-old girl who was not secured by a safety restraint and was ejected onto the roadway, according to the CHP.

The vehicle, a 1993 Lexus driven by a 24-year-old Irene Tafuya Esparza, carried the 8-year-old and two other children, ages 2 and 4, according to the CHP, which reported that none of the children were secured by safety restraints.

The patients, all four of them Los Angeles residents, were flown to County-USC Medical Center, the CHP reported.

According to the preliminary investigation, Esparza was driving on the Sierra Highway on-ramp and for unknown reasons lost control of the vehicle, which crossed all southbound lanes of the freeway and struck the concrete divider wall.

The Lexus came to rest in the left main southbound lane, according to the CHP.

Neither alcohol nor drugs were suspected as factors in the crash, according to the CHP.

All southbound lanes were closed for about 45 minutes to allow for medical care and a SigAlert was issued.

The carpool lane and two left main lanes on the southbound side remained closed for about an hour while officers investigated the crash, according to the CHP.

According to a report from the scene, both sides of the freeway were shut down at one point, causing major traffic backups in either direction.

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41 comments for "14 Freeway crash injures 4"

  1. Wow I remember back in the day there was no such thing as a child safety seat or mandatory seat belt laws. We minded our mother and father when they said “sit still and shut up”. I survived two car accidents as a child that were someone else fault. What is wrong with you people? can’t you just be happy the kids are ok?

    • Hhhhmmmmmm but someone somewhere at some point felt carseats were NEEDED for safety. That’s why it’s the LAW now!! AGAIN if you can’t afford carseats STOP having babies PERIOD
      And Jamica you must be related. You sound/read like an IDIOT!

  2. thank god it the kids were not injured GREAT JOB to the offduty LAPD officer that was the first person scene and rendered aid to these people

  3. … well, just thank their lucky stars they’re Hispanic. Sanctuary city, different rules for different people, because they’re Hispanic, there will be no citations written, for driving inebriated, without seat belts, child seats or insurance. Funding from the sanctuary slush fund, measure H, and the newfangled 12 cent per gallon sanctuary city gas tax, California taxpayer will be called upon to pick up the tab for their medical expenses, and incidentals. There is no place in the world better for Mexicans than right here, in wonderful Mexifornia

      • BS! Her kids are mixed NOT her. And that’s neither here nor there. She should have had ALL those babies in carseats PERIOD
        If you can’t afford carseats STOP having babies and pick baby daddies that support their kids NOT weed and drinking habits.You should lose your children, you dont deserve them.

    • But if they are not allowed to ask about their immigration status, how do they know to give them a free pass? I hope you’re not implying that a drunk driver wouldn’t be arrested on the spot.

  4. All this [removed] is wrong… my daughter was in her seatbelt…they took her outta the car…no 1 was never in critical condition my baybeeh has 3 scraps

    • Describe your Child Safety Seats to me. A child wearing “only” a seat-belt is neither safely nor legally restrained in a moving vehicle.

      • Awwww??? You want description for what? U don’t know what a car seat is? Get out of here with that crap u ain’t no body .

        • Children secured in car seats don’t fly out of the car, and seat belts can’t properly hold them in place. If your car seats are old, they may be defective or recalled. You can have your car seats inspected for free by making an appointment at the California Highway Patrol. The number is 661-948-8541, the office is on Ave I between In-n-out and the 14 on ramp.

    • LOL…so, do you have any evidence to support this “truthful and objective” claim? I’m thinking that Hispanic drivers account for about half the accidents in the AV…which only makes sense given that half the drivers in the AV are Hispanic. Do you have any actual facts here, or are you just calling this racist screed “truthful and objective” because it sounds good to you?

      • LOL…well, okay then. He makes a wild claim, and when I ask him to back it up you swear to it. That’s just totally convincing there.

    • We never had seat belts till 1967 by law ,kids were in good metal cars not this plastic crap

      • Fatalities per vehicle mile traveled have been reduced 80% since 1967, but never let a fact get in the way of a good bit of ranting against progress.

  7. Maybe just maybe…. It being possible maybe kids came out of there sseatbelts not listening and cause of the lack of good ol fashion discipline is a major factor in this sad incident but I’m just saying we know you can’t just rule in one possibility need to look at all of it from maybe the kids getting out their seatbelt quietly just mess around their mother and make her mad I’ve had it happen to me I’m just saying …. my prayers are with the children for their full may God bless the whole family in Jesus name amen

  8. I was about 75 yards behind this accident when it happened. Didn’t see much but the aftermath. I am praying everyone is eventually fine. Please do a follow-up report.

    • “The 8-year-old and two other children, ages 2 and 4, according to the CHP, which reported that none of the children were secured by safety restraints.”

      A child flung out onto the highway is an easy indicator of no seat belt. I wonder if the car even HAD Child Safety Seats. Driving with 3 loose children in the car, in itself, is distracting enough to cause an accident.

      Good luck with your Media Dysphoria.

  10. Hahaha, Hispanic drivers! Why not show some statistics, you fool!! There’s lots of dumb drivers of every race on the road! Smh..

  11. Wow That’s ignorant to say. I’m sure you wouldn’t say that to the face of this Mexican I’ll tell you that much.

  13. I know this young lady and the 8 year old,I had a chance to meet her an her daughter 6 years ago when my mother lived on 51st street.the little girl was 2 years old at that time.God bless Irene an her children,don’t take them from us lord please

    • I believe she meant “don’t let them die”, not “don’t let the state take them away”… Just saying.

  14. Wow I saw that accident and I have to say there is a lot of Good Samaritan who pulled over to help the people thank you to all the Good Samaritan that help we need more people like you guys in this world

  15. Dopes , like this woman, should not be licensed to have kids, let alone drive a vehicle.
    Most likely texting. Idiot, fool.

  16. She should have her license revoked and the children should be taken away from her. God bless those kids.

    • Agreed! Ridiculous that someone has to die before the driver gets any significant punishment!

  17. I would definitely lose control of my car it my three kids were not buckled ages 8, 4 and 2 as well. No excuse for not having them buckled. I pray all are ok and family stays strong. Very sad story.

  19. I cannot believe none of these kids were buckled in. Makes me sick that people don’t give a crap about seat belts. And she was probably texting someone. I see it all the time.

  22. This is a tragic thing, but none of the children were restrained with seat belts or car seats? I hope everything turns out ok for this family.