67 crash kills Lakeside couple
A Lakeside couple was killed in a head-on crash that occurred when a 19-year-old Ramona woman swerved into oncoming traffic to avoid colliding with slowing traffic ahead of her about 8:40 a.m. Friday, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
The state Route 67 accident north of Archie Moore Road closed traffic in both directions between Archie Moore and Highland Valley roads for about an hour. One-way traffic then was allowed for about another hour before the state route was completely open, said CHP Officer Brian Pennings.
Jillian Winder, 19, of Ramona was the driver of the sport utility vehicle that crossed into oncoming traffic. She was southbound on SR-67 north of Archie Moore when she noticed traffic ahead of her had slowed. She was unable to stop and decided to swerve across the double yellow line rather than hit traffic ahead of her, according to the CHP report.
Her vehicle collided with a northbound 1993 Mercury Tracer driven by Miguel Castillo Fernandez, 67. His wife, Maria Isabel Medrano Soriano, 59, was a passenger in the car.
A northbound van driven by Teri Lynch, 46, of Santee was unable to stop and collided with the rear of the Mercury, Pennings said.
Fernandez and Soriano died at the scene near Quail Rock Road. They lived in Lakeside with their nephew, reported the county medical examiner’s office.
A fourth driver, Jack Parson, 46, of Ramona was southbound and saw the chaos ahead of him. Seeing the car get rear-ended, he swerved off the road, colliding with a lamp post on the road’s southbound shoulder, said Pennings.
Winder and Lynch complained of pain and were transported to Palomar Medical Center. Medics reported that Winder suffered pain to her right elbow, collarbone and front of her left pelvis, possibly from her seatbelt. Lynch reported pain that also possibly was seatbelt-related, they reported.
Parson was uninjured, said Pennings.
When CHP’s investigation report is completed, it will be sent to the district attorney’s office, said Pennings, noting that Winder faces a minimum of one vehicular manslaughter charge.