Long Beach Press-Telegram
Kelly Puente
April 7, 2008
LONG BEACH - A 75-year-old Long Beach woman was killed in a car accident on Monday after she allegedly made an illegal left-hand turn in her vehicle and collided with a Metro Blue Line train. The woman was driving southbound on Long Beach Boulevard at about 1:15 p.m. when she attempted to make an illegal left-hand turn onto Third Street, which is a one-way street, said Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman Nancy Pratt.
A train heading south on the boulevard plowed into the driver's side of her green Toyota sedan. Pratt said the woman suffered major internal injuries from the impact. Capt. Mike DuRee of the Long Beach Fire Department said the victim was unconscious and having trouble breathing when paramedics arrived. She was transported to St. Mary Medical Center, where she died a short time later. Her name was released Monday pending notification of family.
Witnesses said it looked as if the woman had not been paying attention. "I was standing on the corner (of Long Beach Boulevard and Third) talking on my phone when I heard the bang," said witness Andreas Hernandez. "You could feel the force of the impact through the air."
Authorities had closed off Long Beach Boulevard from Broadway to Fourth Street as they investigated the accident scene and passengers on the train were being let off. Signal Hill resident Belinda Maxin was on the train when she felt the the conductor slam on the brakes suddenly. Maxin, like many passengers, had to walk the rest of the way to the bus and train stations on First Street.
The incident was the second involving a Metro train on Monday. A young man apparently struck by a Metro Blue Line train south of downtown Los Angeles was taken to a hospital in critical condition, authorities said. Paramedics sent to Grand Avenue and Washington Boulevard about 8:30 a.m. found the man lying next to the train, which had stopped, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The man was treated for head, arm and pelvis injuries, Humphrey said.
kelly.puente@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1305. City News Service contributed to this report.
Also:
- LAist reports the young man critically injured a 19-year old Trade Tech student
