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2 ejected into bay -- boy lost
3-year-old rescued in bridge accident
Two young boys riding in a minivan on the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge were ejected from the vehicle and hurled off the bridge into San Francisco Bay on Tuesday in a bizarre crash that left one boy missing and presumed dead.
A 3-year-old boy was pulled out of the water and rushed to a hospital, but rescuers found no trace of a 4-year-old boy who vanished in the water.
The younger boy was rescued when a passenger in the minivan, 31-year-old Jorge Lopez, jumped 15 feet from the bridge into the bay to help the boys, authorities said. Lopez was able to grab one boy. A private tow-truck driver who happened to be on the bridge at the time used equipment on his truck to lift Lopez and the boy to safety, authorities said.
Emergency crews arrived at the scene and searched by helicopter and boat for the 4-year-old boy. But after several hours, they suspended the effort, saying there was no way the boy could have survived.
The accident was reported at 3:09 p.m. in the eastbound lanes on the eastern span of the bridge. The white Mercury minivan, carrying four adults and three children, smashed into the bridge railing on the right shoulder, knocking out two rear windows and ejecting the two boys into the water below on the south side of the bridge. After the impact, the van swerved across three lanes and came to rest against the median barrier.
"It was a solo vehicle accident," said Christian Oliver, spokesman for the California Highway Patrol. "It's not clear why the driver lost control and struck the south side of the bridge.''
A third boy who was riding in the van, a 5-year-old, was injured and rushed to Children's Hospital Oakland along with the rescued 3-year-old. The children were not identified.
Authorities identified the driver as Carolina Chavarin, 33, of San Mateo. Chavarin and the three adult passengers in the van, Lopez, Carlos Angulo, 32, and Maria Barraza, 3o, all of San Mateo, were taken to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley with injuries.
Oliver said the CHP is investigating whether criminal charges are warranted against Chavarin because the three boys were not buckled in properly. State law requires that any child younger than 6 or lighter than 60 pounds must ride in a child safety seat.
"We'd like to think that there's no excuse for people not knowing the law, '' he said. "It's an absolute tragedy, and it's a reminder for parents to make their kids are (buckled in) properly."
By sunset, the 4-year-old boy, described as wearing a yellow shirt, was still missing. The U.S. Coast Guard was searching the area with a 41-foot boat and a helicopter. Several other police agencies sent their patrol boats to the scene to assist.
"The weather is cooperative,'' said Oliver, briefing reporters at the bridge toll plaza. "We're not dealing with choppy water. (But) the bay is always cold."
By 7:30 p.m., the Coast Guard called off the search, saying the probability of the boy surviving in the chilly waters for that length of time was remote.
"The search has been suspended," said Petty Officer Gabriel Flescher. "The California Highway Patrol incident command will be taking another look upon daylight."
Relatives waiting at Children's Hospital declined to comment. A spokeswoman at Eden said the family wanted no information released.
Oliver said the boys fell 10 to 15 feet from the span. The water near the bridge varies from about 8 to 14 feet, according to authorities.
fucking idiots....
3-year-old rescued in bridge accident
Two young boys riding in a minivan on the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge were ejected from the vehicle and hurled off the bridge into San Francisco Bay on Tuesday in a bizarre crash that left one boy missing and presumed dead.
A 3-year-old boy was pulled out of the water and rushed to a hospital, but rescuers found no trace of a 4-year-old boy who vanished in the water.
The younger boy was rescued when a passenger in the minivan, 31-year-old Jorge Lopez, jumped 15 feet from the bridge into the bay to help the boys, authorities said. Lopez was able to grab one boy. A private tow-truck driver who happened to be on the bridge at the time used equipment on his truck to lift Lopez and the boy to safety, authorities said.
Emergency crews arrived at the scene and searched by helicopter and boat for the 4-year-old boy. But after several hours, they suspended the effort, saying there was no way the boy could have survived.
The accident was reported at 3:09 p.m. in the eastbound lanes on the eastern span of the bridge. The white Mercury minivan, carrying four adults and three children, smashed into the bridge railing on the right shoulder, knocking out two rear windows and ejecting the two boys into the water below on the south side of the bridge. After the impact, the van swerved across three lanes and came to rest against the median barrier.
"It was a solo vehicle accident," said Christian Oliver, spokesman for the California Highway Patrol. "It's not clear why the driver lost control and struck the south side of the bridge.''
A third boy who was riding in the van, a 5-year-old, was injured and rushed to Children's Hospital Oakland along with the rescued 3-year-old. The children were not identified.
Authorities identified the driver as Carolina Chavarin, 33, of San Mateo. Chavarin and the three adult passengers in the van, Lopez, Carlos Angulo, 32, and Maria Barraza, 3o, all of San Mateo, were taken to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley with injuries.
Oliver said the CHP is investigating whether criminal charges are warranted against Chavarin because the three boys were not buckled in properly. State law requires that any child younger than 6 or lighter than 60 pounds must ride in a child safety seat.
"We'd like to think that there's no excuse for people not knowing the law, '' he said. "It's an absolute tragedy, and it's a reminder for parents to make their kids are (buckled in) properly."
By sunset, the 4-year-old boy, described as wearing a yellow shirt, was still missing. The U.S. Coast Guard was searching the area with a 41-foot boat and a helicopter. Several other police agencies sent their patrol boats to the scene to assist.
"The weather is cooperative,'' said Oliver, briefing reporters at the bridge toll plaza. "We're not dealing with choppy water. (But) the bay is always cold."
By 7:30 p.m., the Coast Guard called off the search, saying the probability of the boy surviving in the chilly waters for that length of time was remote.
"The search has been suspended," said Petty Officer Gabriel Flescher. "The California Highway Patrol incident command will be taking another look upon daylight."
Relatives waiting at Children's Hospital declined to comment. A spokeswoman at Eden said the family wanted no information released.
Oliver said the boys fell 10 to 15 feet from the span. The water near the bridge varies from about 8 to 14 feet, according to authorities.
fucking idiots....
the three boys were not buckled in properly.