SoCal Soccer Coaches Remembered Following Memorial Day Weekend Fatality

LOS ALAMITOS, CA — The Legends Football Club of Glendora announced the news to their families of a tragic collision that claimed the lives of two soccer coaches and two others, killed in a head-on crash between a car and a big rig over Memorial Day weekend.

" (Matthew Hodges and Gabrielle Constante) were two coaches that have impacted so many young girls into being the greatest. They will definitely be missed," the club stated over Facebook.

The collision was reported at just before 3:15 p.m. Monday on Highway 177, 19 miles north of Desert Center.

According to the California Highway Patrol, Matthew Hodges was traveling southbound on Highway 177 at an undetermined rate of speed when his 2012 Toyota Corolla veered into the northbound lane "for reasons that are still under investigation" and collided head-on with a 1999 Freightliner.

Hodges, 30, of Corona, was airlifted to Desert Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to CHP Officer Ramon Perez.

Three young women from Murrieta were pronounced dead at the scene. They were identified Tuesday morning as Marissa Garnica, 20; Jessica Giraldo, 21; and Gabrielle Constante, 20.

Hodges was the girls' varsity head soccer coach at Ruben S. Ayala High School in Chino Hills, and Constante was the team's assistant coach. Their deaths came two days before the school's scheduled Wednesday afternoon graduation ceremony in Ontario.

Grief counselors were posted Tuesday at the Chino Hills high school to help students and staff cope with the loss of their two soccer coaches.

School officials mourned their loss in a statement released Tuesday.

"Mr. Hodges coached our girls for four years, while Ms. Constante had just finished her second year at Ayala. We ask that you keep them and their families in your thoughts," the statement read.

School officials said grief counselors were on hand to speak to anyone needing help coping with the deaths, and a private vigil for students was held during lunch.

The Glendora-based youth soccer program Legends Football Club also discussed the coaches' deaths in a Facebook post.

"In the late afternoon of May 29th, the Legends Family was dealt life- altering news when two of our coaches, Gaby Constante and Matt Hodges, were involved in a major car accident that resulted in their passing later this evening. The entire Legends staff is in mourning," the post reads.

Los Alamitos' soccer training facility, Deft Touch Soccer Center, also expressed condolences online.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Hodges and Constante families and all the young athletes that their passion and guidance touched both on and off the field. RIP Matt and Gabby!"

Arsenal Football Club South coaches Scott Hollis and Sean Bowers shared their thoughts, and a moment of silence remembering those lost in the weekend collision.

"The girls 2000 teams took a minute at training Tuesday to remember Matt Hodges, Gabby and the other 2 girls from Murrieta to pay our respects," Hollis said over Facebook. "They will be missed."

The Temecula United Soccer Club also shared their condolences, extending thoughts and prayers online.

The big-rig driver, 55-year-old Phillip Barnnett of Afton, Oklahoma, was uninjured in the crash, according to the CHP. The trucker and Hodges were both wearing seatbelts, Perez said, but the investigation was ongoing into whether the three women were buckled in.

Perez said that at this point in the investigation, "there is no reason to believe alcohol and/or drugs played a factor with either driver."

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