A man believed to be in his 80s was killed and three other people were injured in a two-vehicle crash in Buena Park Sunday and one of the drivers was being investigated for possibly driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The crash was reported about 12:15 p.m. on Orangethorpe Avenue near Valleyview Street, according to Buena Park police and the Orange County Fire Authority.
The deceased man, who was driving with with his wife and adult daughter aboard, was ejected from the vehicle and was taken in grave condition to UCI Medical Center in Orange, OCFA Capt. Steve Concialdi said.
Buena Park police Lt. Rich Forsyth said the man succumbed to his injuries.
Forsyth said the car was leaving the parking lot of an El Torito restaurant, heading north onto eastbound Orangethorpe when it pulled in front of an eastbound pick-up truck ad was struck.
Crews from the OCFA and Fullerton Fire Department used the Jaws of Life while rescuing the survivors, Concialdi said. Two of them were taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana and the other to Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. All were in serious condition, the captain said.
One of them was the driver and sole occupant of the pick-up truck, Forsyth said.
That man was not arrested, but was being investigated for possible DUI, although it was not immediately determined who was at fault in the crash, Forsyth said.
Firefighters had all of the patients en route to hospitals by 12:38 p.m., Concialdi said.
A Care Ambulance supervisor responding to the scene was involved in a minor crash nearby, sending one person who suffered minor injuries to a hospital, Concialdi said.
La Palma police were investigating that crash, he said.
— City News Service