Authorities Monday identified a woman passenger who was killed in a suspected alcohol-related crash on the southbound Orange (57) Freeway in Diamond Bar that also fatally injured the driver and resulted in the arrest of another motorist.
Paula Queiroz-Lopes, 24, of Diamond Bar died at the scene of the crash, which occurred shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday, said coroner’s Assistant Chief Ed Winter. The driver — Eduardo Goncalves-Lins, 28, of Costa Mesa — died at a hospital, Winter said.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the pair were in a 2014 Toyota Corolla that was heading south in the No. 4 lane when the driver veered to the right and crashed into the rear of a tow truck that was parked on the right shoulder just south of Diamond Bar Boulevard. The Corolla came to rest in the No. 3 lane, and about a minute later, a 2007 Toyota Tacoma driven by 28- year-old Vincent Delavega of Santa Ana crashed into the Corolla, the CHP reported.
The impact sent the Tacoma to the left, where it hit an unattended 1998 Dodge Ram pickup driven by 35-year-old William Blackburn of Covina, who had stopped to help with the first crash, the CHP reported. Blackburn was not injured.
The Tacoma then rolled over and came to rest on its left side. The force of the impact between the Tacoma and the Corolla caused both people in the Corolla to be ejected onto the freeway, the CHP reported.
Delavega, who suffered fractured ribs and bruises to his chest, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, CHP Officer Brian Meddaugh said, adding that alcohol was also suspected as a factor in the crash of the Corolla into the parked tow truck.
Any possible witnesses were urged to call Meddaugh at the CHP’s Baldwin Park office at (626) 338-1164.
—City News Service