2 Struck, Killed Pushing Vehicle With Flat Tire On I-215

MENIFEE, CA – Two people who were struck and killed on Interstate 215 in Menifee as they attempted to push a disabled car off the freeway were identified Tuesday.

Fernando Vazquez, 24, of Yucaipa, and Giselle Vazquez, 19, of San Bernardino were fatally injured shortly after 7 p.m. Monday on southbound I- 215, about a mile south of Ethanac Road.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the victims -- it's unclear whether they were related -- were in a 1999 Dodge sedan that sputtered to a stop in the slow lane of the freeway, prompting the pair to jump out and attempt to push the vehicle to the shoulder, while the driver, identified only as a 50-year-old San Bernardino woman, steered the car.

As the victims pushed, a 2004 Honda sedan approached from behind in the same lane at 65 mph. The 63-year-old Solana Beach man at the wheel apparently did not see the victims or the disabled Dodge in time to stop, slamming into them, Officer Mike Lassig said.

He said the man and woman were killed instantly.

The Dodge occupant was left trapped in the wreckage and had to be extricated by Riverside County Fire Department personnel. She was taken to an inland trauma center for treatment of moderate injuries.

The Honda driver suffered minor injuries but declined an ambulance, according to the fire department.

Southbound I-215 was shut down at the location for three hours because of the collision, which remains under investigation.
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PREVIOUS: TUESDAY, JAN. 16, 10:25 a.m.

Authorities Tuesday identified a man and a woman who were killed in a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 215 in Menifee as they were pushing their disabled car to the side of the freeway.

The crash was reported about 7:10 p.m. Monday on the southbound side of the 215 north of McCall Boulevard and south of Ethanac Road, according to the the California Highway Patrol and Riverside County Fire Department.

Fernando Vazquez, 24, of Yucaipa, and Giselle Vazquez, 19, of San Bernardino died at the scene, the Riverside County coroner's office reported.

A third person suffered moderate injuries, and a fourth suffered minor injuries, the fire department reported. The individual with moderate injuries needed to be extricated from the vehicle by firefighters.

Vazquez's vehicle was traveling south on I-215 when it suffered a flat tire and came to a stop in the number-three lane, the CHP said. As the two victims got out to push the vehicle, they were hit from behind by another motorist and were killed, the agency said.

The CHP issued a safety reminder to drivers to make every effort to drive disabled vehicles into the right shoulder or emergency lane.

"Vehicles are able to drive on a flat tire," the agency said. "If a motorist experiences a flat tire, ease off of the accelerator, do not slam on the brakes, do not make any sharp turning movements, signal and begin to pull to the right shoulder and activate the vehicle’s hazard lights. Motorists should make every effort to drive their vehicles onto the right shoulder and get to a safe location."

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--City News Service contributed to this report/Pixabay image via webandi