Three-year-old boy suffers the most severe injuries when truck
runs red light
Hollister – Ten people between the ages of 3 and 62 received a range of minor to major injuries in a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Fairview Road and Highway 156 after one of the vehicles ran a red light Thursday afternoon, according to the California Highway Patrol.
A 2004 Chevy Silverado pick-up truck driven by San Jose resident Jose Moreno Mendoza hit a 1996 Astro van filled with eight people, traveling eastbound on Highway 156 around 12:30pm, according to the CHP
Moreno ran a red light as he was heading southbound on Fairview Road, according to CHP Capt. Bob Davies.
Five people were flown out by helicopter and the rest were taken by ambulance to surrounding trauma centers, most in the San Jose area, Davies said.
A 3-year-old boy from Santa Ana suffered the most severe injuries and was flown to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Davies said. The child, who was restrained in a car seat when the accident occurred, was not responsive at the scene and had major blunt force trauma, according to the CHP.
“The car seat definitely saved that baby’s life,” Davies said. “It got the brunt of the impact… and it held him in.”
Teresa Rodriguez, a friend of the family who was at the scene, wasn’t optimistic about the child’s condition.
“The baby’s not OK,” she said. “He’s bad.”
While some of the injuries were major, Davies said none appeared to be life-threatening at the time.
“We’ll keep our fingers crossed,” he said.
CALSTAR flew Hollister resident Navarro, 36, to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center with major chest trauma, according to the CHP.
A 12-year-old female from Gilroy was taken by ambulance to Hazel Hawkins Hospital with moderate injuries and was released, according to the CHP.
Another 12-year-old female from Anaheim had major injuries, but the extent of her injuries is unknown, according to the CHP.
The driver of the pick-up, Moreno, 27, suffered moderate injuries with neck, back, hip and chest pain and was taken by ambulance to St. Louise Regional Hospital, according to the CHP. The passenger in the pick-up, San Jose resident Eurcristo Lopez, 28, had major chest trauma and facial damage and was flown to Stanford Medical Center, according to the CHP.
Anaheim resident Refusio Escalera, 62, was taken by CALSTAR to San Jose Medical Center with facial lacerations and leg injuries, according to the CHP.
Santa Ana resident Ana Medina Escalera, 21, was flown to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center with major leg, hip and facial trauma. Alma Escalera, a 21-year-old Anaheim resident, had major injuries but the CHP does not know to what extent, according to a press release. A 36-year-old Anaheim resident, whose name is unknown at this time, also suffered major injuries.
Some of the identities of the victims were ascertained through a verbal ID, according to the CHP, which is still trying to determine the identities the rest.
All people involved were wearing their seat belts, Davies said.
The pick-up truck sustained major front-end damage, and the van’s entire front portion and left side panel was in tatters.
Davies said 23,000 cars travel through that intersection daily, which is a lot of cars to go through a one-lane funnel.
“There’s been a lot of growth, and with it a lot more traffic,” he said. “One error on either person’s part… and you’re gonna have problems.”
