Harvard Park Accident
A horrifying two-car collision on New Year's Eve in the Harvard Park area claimed the lives of a father, mother, and their 5-year-old daughter, while their 1-year-old daughter remains in critical condition. The tragic incident occurred around 11:20 p.m. when an SUV, reportedly involved in a prior collision, ignored a stop sign at the intersection of 60th Place and Normandie Avenue, colliding with a sedan traveling southbound on Normandie Avenue. The impact sent the sedan careening into a street sign and fence on the southwest corner of the intersection.
Good Samaritans rushed to the scene, attempting to rescue the four passengers from the smoldering wreckage before paramedics arrived. Unfortunately, three of the family members lost their lives that fateful night, including the father, 49-year-old Jose Pascagaza, the mother, 30-year-old Luisa Bernal, and their 5-year-old daughter, Mia. The remaining family member, 1-year-old Hannah Sophia, has shown remarkable resilience and is fighting for her life in the PICU unit at Harbor UCLA Medical Center.
Authorities revealed that the family had recently relocated from Colombia to Los Angeles just 13 months ago. The alleged DUI driver, 22-year-old Isaac Kahiri, was attempting to flee the scene of another accident when he recklessly disregarded traffic laws and plowed into the family's vehicle. Remarkably, Kahiri escaped with minor injuries, and he now faces charges of murder and gross vehicular manslaughter.
Detective Ryan Moreno emphasized the severity of Kahiri's actions, stating, "This is basically a murder. You can't drive two times the speed limit through city streets running red lights and stop lights just cause you feel like it or you're trying to get away from a crime you committed."
In the midst of this tragedy, loved ones are rallying to raise funds to send the deceased family members' bodies back to Colombia and cover the medical expenses for the 1-year-old survivor, whose birthday is on January 11.
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