Mother, Child ID'd In Fatal I-15 Crash In San Diego County

FALLBROOK, CA —Monday marks eight days since a wrong-way driver triggered a multi-car crash on Interstate 15 in the North County area, killing a San Marcos mother and her 4-year-old child, according to the California Highway Patrol. Now, the community is rallying to help raise funds for the family of those killed.

Courteney Taylor, 29, of San Marcos and her daughter, Amaya, 4, both died at the scene of the crash on I-15 southbound, near State Route 76 on April 23.

"Everyone who has ever met Courteney has known her as a living angel," said Kelsi Taylor who organized a GoFundMe fundraiser in her name. "Amaya was our family's guiding light."

The fundraiser, which was seeking to pay for funeral expenses, had already raised over $38,000 as of Monday afternoon.

"I have no idea how much everything will cost, but I am currently working to partner with non-profit organizations that support single mothers here and women/girls of the Middle East," Kelsi Taylor said. "Amaya was half Afghan, and Courteney was passionate about the rights and well-being of persecuted people around the world. Courteney and Amaya loved to help."

Kelsi Taylor told NBC 7 that her sister and niece had been in Temecula for a pool day before the fatal crash.

"I just want everyone to know that truly beautiful and sweet people exist because Courteney was one of them and she was raising Amaya to be one too,” Kelsi Taylor told NBC 7. "People like Courteney make the world a worthwhile place to be. She just always wanted the best for everybody and to help. They both did. Amaya loved to help."

According to CHP Officer Robert Schmidt, the deadly wreck that claimed the lives of Taylor and her daughter happened around 3:13 p.m. after an Oceanside man drove northbound into the southbound lanes of the interstate, crashing into multiple cars.

He was hospitalized with injuries considered "life-threatening," according to Schmidt. He is suspected of driving while under the influence.

The Oceanside man had been on CA-395 when he drifted through a fence, down a slope, and began heading the wrong way on southbound I-15. The collisions occurred shortly after as the truck flipped onto its roof, after crashing into a white Tesla and a black Kia Forte with Courteney Taylor and her young child inside.

"Any time emergency officials have to arrive at a scene where there is a young child that was hurt or killed, it affects us all," CHP officer Hunter Gerber told reporters at the scene.

Related: Fatality Reported In Major Crash On I-15

To donate to her fundraiser, www.gofundme.com.

Story by Ashley Ludwig/Patch