Medical Emergency Preceded Deadly Crash

An 85-year-old Laguna Woods man may have had a “medical emergency” before crashing his car into a power pole on Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach this afternoon, police said.

The collision happened about 2:45 p.m. in the 1900 block of Laguna Canyon Road, according to Laguna Beach Sgt. Tim Kleiser. The man, whose his wife in the passenger seat, slammed the car into the pole on the northbound side of the road, he said.

The driver, whose name was not immediately released, was taken to Saddleback Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, Kleiser said.

His wife was taken to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, but the severity of her injuries was unknown, Kleiser said.

Investigators say it appears the victim had some sort of “medical emergency” before the collision, the sergeant said.

--City News Service