CAR CRASH: Suspect, victims in La Puente crash identified
July 14, 2010
La Puente – Police have identified the suspect and victims in the four-car collision that occurred Tuesday night along Valley Boulevard and Stimson Street.
Police have arrested Omar Vivar, 25, from La Puente, the driver of the jeep that slammed head-on to a white Ford Taurus and crashed to two other vehicles. He was charged on suspicion of driving under the influence causing death and bodily injury, traffic investigator Michael Gonzales said. He will be in court this Thursday.
According to Gonzales, Vivar “hit the vehicle so hard that the wheel assembly and axle broke.” The crash killed the driver of the sedan, Steve Roger Carlson, 47, of Walnut.
Vivar was traveling west on Valley Boulevard and crossed into eastbound traffic in order to pass a vehicle on the two-lane road. He then swerved to avoid a car on the opposite side, overcorrected and avoided the guard rail. It caused him to plunge into oncoming traffic, colliding with Carlson’s sedan.
"His car went airborne and narrowly missed a third car and fourth car," Gonzalez added. Vivar’s brother who was with him initially was in critical condition, but is now stable.
Carlson’s wife suffered internal injuries and a bruised lung, while his eight-year-old daughter has compound fractures to her hip, left leg, and left arm, and lacerations to the face. She will have to undergo plastic surgery.
His son only suffered minor injuries. Fortunately, he was in a car seat and it saved his life.
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