UPDATED: Young mom died racing to hospital to see brother injured in unrelated wreck
UPDATED: Saturday, Apr. 21, 3:30 a.m.
ORIGINAL AND UPDATED REPORTS, PHOTOS, VIDEO BELOW
Family members of a young San Jacinto mother who died Wednesday evening, Apr. 18, when she lost control of her vehicle and plowed head-on into another car say the victim was killed while racing to an area hospital. She was reportedly rushing to check on her brother they say had been involved in a separate, unrelated car crash.
19-year-old mother, Kayla Castro, who died Wednesday night after losing control her car was rushing to see her brother injured in another accident, according to her family. Kayla Castro Facebook
Witnesses at the scene the night of the incident reported that the driver, later identified as 19-year-old, San Jacinto resident, Kayla Castro, had been speeding and passing other vehicles just before the accident along a sweeping curve on Ramona Expressway, west of Bernasconi Road. The accident happened between Lakeview and Perris, in the unincorporated community of Lakeview Hot Springs.
The driver of the other vehicle sustained major injuries and was hospitalized in serious condition. The full extent of that victim’s injuries and current condition have not been updated.
According to her family, Castro was attending college and leaves behind a young son. In the wake of the tragedy her family has created a gofundme to help raise money for their loved one’s burial and other expenses. As of this update, the fundraiser had raised $1,135 toward the stated $10,000 goal.
“She was a beautiful sweet, smart young single mom,” Castro’s family explained on the fundraising website.
“Kayla, died tonite in car accident on ramona expressway,” wrote Castro’s family. “She was on her way to hospital to see her brother who had just also got in a car accident.”
“Her mother n family, do not have the means to bury their loved one,” the family continues. “If you can please help raise enough to bury , our beautiful Kayla. Thank you n God bless you.”
Others from throughout the San Jacinto Valley have expressed their grief at their sudden loss.
“I’m still in shock that your gone just like that,” Winchester resident Daniel Sanchez expressed on a Facebook post. “I remember talking to my sister saying we were so proud of you because you went back to school and had your own car and you were doing good.”
Sanchez recalled a recent time when he changed the oil in Castro’s car and was paid with a kiss from Castro’s son, saying he is “heart-broken for Alex, knowing he (will) never see his mom again.”
No information was immediately available regarding the brother’s accident that reportedly preceded Castro’s, but RCNS has reached out to family and local law enforcement agencies for additional information.
It’s not yet known if alcohol or drugs were additional contributing factor in the deadly wreck and CHP’s investigation into the accident is ongoing.
Anyone with information regarding this collision is encouraged to contact the Riverside California Highway Patrol Accident Investigation Unit, at (951) 637-8000. Callers can refer to incident file number 01247 and can remain anonymous.
This is a developing story that will be updated as information becomes available.
Original accident scene photos below.
Click any image to open full-size gallery.
UPDATED: 19-year-old woman killed while speeding, driving recklessly ID’d
UPDATED: Friday, Apr. 20, 4 a.m., With additional info from CHP
UPDATED: Thursday, Apr. 19, 10:30 p.m., With Coroner’s release
CORRECTED: Thursday, Apr. 19, 8 p.m., With clarification regarding who was driving which vehicle
ORIGINAL STORY: LAKEVIEW HOT SPRINGS: Speed, reckless driving reportedly preceded fatal wreck
LAKEVIEW HOT SPRINGS — One person was killed and another sustained “significant” injuries in a two-vehicle, head-on collision early Wednesday evening, Apr. 18. Excessive speed and reckless driving are considered to be contributing factors in the deadly crash, according to witnesses and officials. The fatal accident happened on Ramona Expressway west of Bernasconi Road, between Lakeview and Perris, in the unincorporated community of Lakeview Hot Springs.
Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials later identified the woman who died in the crash as 19-year-old, Kayla Castro, of San Jacinto. She was pronounced deceased at the scene of the head-on crash at 8 p.m.
A woman was killed and another motorist sustained major injuries in a two-vehicle head-on wreck on Ramona Expressway. John Strangis/Eye News Media photo
Emergency first responders were dispatched to the scene of the wreck about 7:40 p.m., after other motorists and witnesses called 911 to report the tremendous impact that sent both vehicles careening off the roadway.
Radio traffic and a CHP Incident Log at the time indicated one of the drivers had possibly already succumbed to her injuries and the other driver sustained major injuries. 911 callers also reported the deceased woman was trapped inside the mangled wreckage of her vehicle, a silver Scion hatchback.
When officials arrived they found two wrecked vehicles facing westbound in a shallow drainage gully off the southern edge of the roadway. Both the Scion and a white Honda Accord had sustained major front-end damage so severe the vehicles were barely recognizable.
Firefighters immediately began working to extricate a woman trapped inside the Scion. Once able to gain access to the vehicle, paramedics determined the victim had already succumbed to her injuries and she was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Medics eventually transported the driver of the Honda to an area trauma center in critical condition.
Coroners officials eventually responded to the scene to assist with the investigation and take custody of the victim’s body.
A coroner official discusses the deadly accident with CHP and Cal Fire officials. John Strangis/Eye News Media photo
Although traffic through the area slowed to a crawl as other motorists slowed down to stare with wide-eyed disbelief at the mangled cars, neither lanes of traffic were directly affected by the collision or its aftermath.
According to CHP Castro was driving the Scion westbound on Ramona Expressway just before the accident. At the same time, Maria Delgado, 22, also from San Jacinto, was driving a white 2015 Honda in the opposite direction, heading eastbound on the expressway.
Witnesses later described seeing the Scion “speeding and recklessly passing other vehicles.”
One witness who requested to not be identified later described seeing the speeding Scion “cut off another vehicle,” at which time Castro appeared to lose control of her vehicle. Her car then drove into oncoming lanes of traffic and plowed head-on into the oncoming Honda.
American Red Cross representatives later responded to the scene to assist grieving family members who responded to the site of the crash after hearing about the accident. They insisted on remaining at the scene and stood nearby, watching the rescue efforts in horror and disbelief.
It’s not yet known if alcohol or drugs were additional contributing factor in the deadly wreck and CHP’s investigation into the accident is ongoing.
Anyone with information regarding this collision is encouraged to contact the Riverside California Highway Patrol Accident Investigation Unit, at (951) 637-8000. Callers can refer to incident file number 01247 and can remain anonymous.
Click any image to open full-size gallery.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 46, recently moved to Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 27 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 14 grandchildren.
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