The horrifying deaths of two women and two children killed when their car slammed head-on into a big-rig in Lancaster was caused by the car’s driver traveling on the wrong side of the highway, according to authorities.
There was no immediate word of why the black death car Dodge Challenger was driving on the wrong side, but law enforcement officials asked for the public’s help in trying to figure out what happened and why.
The coroner’s office Saturday released the names of the two women and two children killed in the wrong-way crash with a big rig in Lancaster that left a 5-year-old child in critical condition.
The driver of the black Dodge Challenger was Sandra Jones, 62, of Lancaster. The female passenger who died at a hospital was Roslind Harris, 59, also of Lancaster. The children — who both died in hospitals — were David Howard, 6, and Justin Howard, 8, both of Las Vegas, the coroner’s office said.
A 5-year-old child was hospitalized in critical condition at Antelope Valley Hospital.
The coroner’s office could not immediately comment on whether the Howard boys were brothers, nor the relationship of the critically injured child.
The crash that left the Challenger crumpled and the big rig’s cab overturned, occurred at 9:11 a.m. Friday at the intersection of East Avenue G and North 30th Street East, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
The car was traveling in the wrong direction in the eastbound lane of Avenue G and collided head-on with the truck, according to the California Highway Patrol. It was unclear what other factors led up to the crash.
The trucker, a 44-year-old man from Corona, suffered minor injuries but was not taken to a hospital, the CHP said.
The CHP’s Antelope Valley office urged anyone with information about the crash to call them at 661-948-8541.