Monday, Aug. 23, 2010

Crash kills 1, injures 5

One child is dead and another has been hospitalized after being ejected from a car during a roll-over accident on Interstate 5 early last Friday, a news release from the California Highway Patrol stated.

Aiden Santos, 6, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash and Arissa Santos, 5, is at Memorial Hospital Modesto suffering from major injuries. Both children are from Vallejo.

The crash occurred at 4:05 a.m. north of Whitworth Road in the southbound direction.

The news release stated that a 1999 Toyota Sienna with eight people was traveling at 60 mph. The driver, Aris Santos, told authorities he looked up and saw a U-Haul directly in front of him. He slammed on the brakes and swerved to the right, losing control of the Sienna and causing it to go down an embankment.

According to the CHP, the car rolled over several times and the two children were ejected from the vehicle.

Aris and Kristina Santos, both 28, were taken to Memorial Hospital Los Banos with minor and moderate injuries, respectively. Also taken to the Los Banos facility were Brian Flores, 27, and Arianna Santos, 10, both of whom had moderate injuries; and Arik Santos, 3, and Alan Samaniego, 20, who were suffering from minor injuries.