Monterey Park, CA (June 28, 2024) Sadness covered the community of Monterey Park as news spread of a violent crash just after midnight on Friday, June 28th. The traumatic crash claimed three lives and sent two people, including a mother (the driver) and her 7-year-old to the hospital, according to City News Service. It happened minutes after 12:30 a.m. at the intersection of Cecil Street and East Graves Avenue.
It all started with an SUV that lost control and slammed into a tree, then crashed into two vehicles in a driveway and flipped on its side. The scene following the accident was traumatic and grim, as many occupants of the SUV weren’t wearing seat belts.
The Monterey Park Police Department arrived at the scene and found the SUV. They hurried to find the injured and help them, but they found a gruesome scene instead. One person inside the SUV had been ejected as it rolled. Officers found the victim on the roof of a house. Sadly, they were pronounced dead at the scene. Officers found two other people who did not survive this accident. With heavy hearts, they too, were pronounced dead at the scene. Tarps were placed on the victim’s bodies as officers waited for the coroner to arrive at the scene.
Two other people, the driver and her 7-year-old daughter, sustained serious injuries in this accident, officers reported. Paramedics loaded the victims into ambulances and rushed them to a local hospital to receive treatment for unknown injuries. The woman was later taken into custody under suspicion of DUI.
Update (July 16): FOX 11 has reported that the three deceased victims were the driver’s brother, cousin, and family friend. One of the victims has been identified as 34-year-0ld Alexander Cota Jr. It’s unclear at this time what his relationship was with the driver.
Detectives began gathering evidence at the scene and took statements from people at the scene. Witnesses reported that the SUV was speeding at the time of the collision. Officers are working to piece together what happened to cause the driver to lose control of the SUV. Tow trucks arrived to remove the SUV from the scene and crews worked for hours to remove the debris from the roadway.
Our team at Accident News Now extends our deepest sympathies to the families of those killed in this devastating accident. We also wish full recoveries to the two who sustained injuries. We understand that is is a horribly difficult time for everyone involved. We have an excellent legal team ready to help you during this difficult time.
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