2 Bay Area Leaders Among 4 Killed In San Diego County Car Crash

SAN DIEGO, CA — Two Bay Area leaders were killed in a crash this weekend in northern San Diego County.

Four people, including East Bay leaders Peggy Moore and Hope Wood, 48, died in the three-vehicle collision Friday night on state Route 76 in the Fallbrook area, according to multiple media reports and the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office.

"I'm heartbroken to hear of the tragic loss of Peggy Moore and Hope Wood," Rep. Barbara Lee said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Peggy was a friend, an activist, and one of the best organizers I knew. Her passion and fight for justice and equality is what brought her and Hope together."

The crash happened shortly before 11:20 p.m. Friday on SR-76, east of Horse Ranch Creek Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. The unidentified driver of an eastbound Chrysler 300 veered into oncoming traffic and collided with the front of a Jeep Gladiator.

The drivers of both the Chrysler and the Jeep died at the scene, along with two adult passengers of the Jeep, the CHP said. A third adult passenger of the Jeep suffered major injuries.

The head-on crash also caused a Toyota Camry, which was behind the Jeep, to be involved in a minor side-swipe with the Jeep, according to the CHP. The cause of the crash remained under investigation.

Moore and Wood met and fell in love while working on former President Barack Obama's campaign in 2008. In 2019, the couple started the organizational development consultancy and coaching firm Hope Action Change.

"Together they organized, changed hearts and minds, and helped to create a world where who you love doesn't limit your freedoms," Lee added. "Both Peggy and Hope made an impact on our community, on our city, on our state, and on our nation that will be felt for generations to come."