May 5, 2007 3:30 am US/Pacific
3 Siblings Dead After Big Rig Hits Minivan In O.C.
MISSION VIEJO, Calif. (CBS) ―
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Three children were killed, and their mother and grandmother were critically injured in the Friday afternoon crash, according to the CHP.
CBS
A pair of sisters, ages 3 and 4, and their 5-year-old brother were killed Friday when a big rig plowed into their family minivan on the San Diego (5) Freeway in Mission Viejo.
The tractor-trailer rear-ended the silver van, which also carried the children's mother and grandmother, at about 1:10 p.m. on the southbound 5, north of Oso Parkway, California Highway Patrol Officer Katrina Lundgren said.
The 30-year-old driver of the minivan, Lori Lynn Coble of Ladera Ranch, had stopped in traffic, and the trucker, Jorge Miguel Romero, 37, of Apple Valley, failed to stop in time, according to the CHP.
The children were sitting in the rear of the silver-color Chrysler minivan, secured in child safety and booster seats, and every adult was wearing a seat belt, Lundgren said.
The boy, Kyle Christopher Coble, was taken to Mission Regional Hospital and Medical Center with critical injuries. He underwent surgery Friday afternoon and later died.
Lori Coble, the children's mother, suffered major injuries, and was taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, according to the CHP. The children's grandmother, Cynthia Gene Maestri, 60, of Coto De Caza, was taken to Western Medical Center.
The minivan was pushed into a Chevrolet Suburban, whose driver went to a hospital with minor injuries, Lundgren said.
Romero was not hurt, the CHP reported.
Investigators are trying to determine if inattention played a role. Drugs or alcohol were not believed to have been a factor, according to the CHP.
Lundgren said stop-and-go traffic is typical for a Friday afternoon in the area, with a lot of vehicles entering and exiting the freeway while heading to and from offices and homes.
The investigation will be conducted by officers in the CHP's Capistrano office.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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