KABC in Los Angeles reports an incident of DUI and road rage led to a multi-car crash and caused the tragic death of a 23-year-old expectant mother and her unborn child on Saturday in Long Beach.
The Long Beach Police Department said in a statement that officers responded to a three-vehicle crash that was reported at approximately 11:30 p.m. at the intersection of Long Beach Boulevard and 52nd Street.
Emergency crews with the Long Beach Fire Department responded to the scene of the crash. Paramedics rushed three people to a nearby hospital to be treated following the crash. One of the victims, a 23-year-old woman from Long Beach, was eight months pregnant at the time.
All efforts to save the mother and child failed, and both were declared dead shortly after their arrival at the hospital. No further information was made available about the other crash victims at the time of the report.
Police say that a preliminary investigation at the scene of the crash and from statements given by eyewitnesses indicate that a man who was later identified as Miguel Larios of Long Beach, was driving his GMC pickup truck southbound on Long Beach Boulevard at a high rate of speed. The pregnant woman and a 10-year-old boy were in the truck with the driver.
Larios was involved in a road rage confrontation with the driver of a second vehicle for several blocks. The driver of the second vehicle attempted to disengage with the driver of the pickup.
The driver of another vehicle, a 45-year-old man driving a 2004 Toyota Corolla, had been parked along the west curb south of Mountain View Street was struck by the pickup truck as he pulled out into traffic.
Police say that Larios lost control of his vehicle, struck another unoccupied parked pickup truck north of 52nd Street.
Larios was taken into custody by Long Beach Police on two charges of gross vehicular manslaughter, one count of child endangerment and DUI.
Larios’ bail has been set at $200,000.
