A 27-year-old motorist was in custody Sunday on suspicion of drunken driving and murder for allegedly striking and killing a woman and two children in Placentia.
About 10:23 p.m. Saturday officers were in the area of the 800 block of West La Jolla Street when they heard the sounds of a traffic crash, said Placentia Police Sgt. Adam Gloe.
“When they got to the street, the officers saw three people lying unresponsive in the street,” Gloe said. “Paramedics were called to render aid, but all three were declared dead at the scene. The victims consisted of one adult female and two small children. The relationship of the three deceased is unknown at this time.”
The driver has remained at the scene, and was not part of a hit-and-run, according to the Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.
The victims were not in a crosswalk, Concialdi said.
The driver was later identified as Placentia resident Nicholas Stephen Munoz, 27, who was arrested on suspicion of murder and driving under the influence with injury, said Gloe, adding that a second vehicle also struck Munoz’s vehicle.
Witnesses told NBC4 the victims may have been leaving a party near the accident scene.
The Placentia Police Traffic Bureau asked anyone with any information regarding the deaths to call them at (714) 993-8157.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855)TIP-OCCS or on their website occrimestoppers.org.
— City News Service