Cecilia Villalobos, 31, of Anaheim has been identified by the Riverside County Coroner’s office as one of the three individuals who lost their lives in a two-car collision on Sunday that occurred on Interstate 10.
At 7:27 a.m., a fatal collision was reported in the Whitewater area near Haugen Lehmann Way. According to the California Highway Patrol, a collision occurred between a black Tesla Model 3 and a red Chevrolet Suburban. The cause of the accident is currently unknown. As a result of the collision, the driver of the Chevrolet lost control and collided with the center divider.
According to the CHP, the Chevrolet vehicle flipped over, resulting in the ejection of six out of the nine individuals who were in the car. Additionally, Villalobos was partially ejected from the vehicle. According to authorities, all of the occupants hailed from Anaheim and were related.
According to reports, Villalobos was declared deceased at the location of the incident. According to reports, two young girls, aged 12 and 8, were tragically ejected from a vehicle and pronounced deceased at the scene.
A major injury was sustained by a 3-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy after they were ejected. An 11-year-old girl and a boy were airlifted to a local trauma center due to major injuries, while a 15-year-old boy with major injuries was transported to the hospital by ground ambulance.
A 39-year-old man who was driving a Chevrolet sustained moderate injuries, while the right front passenger, a 41-year-old man, sustained minor injuries. According to reports, the only occupant of the Tesla involved in the incident was a 31-year-old man from Indio. Fortunately, the driver did not sustain any injuries.
According to California Highway Patrol Spokesperson Jason Montez, there is no suspicion that drugs or alcohol played a role in the deadly crash. For approximately seven hours following the incident, the lanes heading eastbound on I-10 near Haugen Lehmann Way in the Whitewater region were closed.