UPDATE (Monday, April 12, 4 p.m.)—CHP’s report clarifies more facts about the accident. At approximately 11:55 p.m. on Sunday, April 11, John Blackburn of Lockwood Valley was driving his Mazda pickup truck southbound just north of Highway 14 and, for unknown reasons, swerved left and struck the center divider, causing his vehicle to overturn. Francisco Enciso of Daly City was driving a 1996 Nissan Altima southbound with five passengers. Enciso was unable to avoid colliding with Blackburn’s pickup truck. A 1994 Chevrolet Suburban, driven by Victor Jarillo of Los Angeles, collided with the rear end of the Nissan Altima, killing four children in the backseat of the Nissan—they are listed below. It is unknown at this time whether the four children were properly restrained with seatbelts. Enciso and passenger Yessica Milan, 27 of Whittier sustained major injuries. The four occupants of the Chevrolet Suburban sustained minor injuries.

UPDATE (Monday, April 12, 11:09 a.m.)—The Los Angeles County Coroner’s office has informed The Mountain Enterprise that John J. Blackburn, 53 of Lockwood Valley was killed in the multi-car accident described below.

Blackburn’s Mazda pickup truck collided with the center divider and was struck by a Nissan sedan. Four children in the back seat of the sedan were killed: Xochitl M. Hernandez, 5, Edgar A. Hernandez, 8, Cynthia J. Hernandez, 9, all from Whittier and 12-year-old Luis Villegas from Oakland, according to Los Angeles County Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter.

FRAZIER PARK, California (Monday, April 12, 2010, 9:38 a.m.)—A multi-vechicle crash on the southbound Interstate 5, south of Santa Clarita near Highway 14, has left five people dead, according to preliminary incident reports by the California Highway Patrol.

Shortly after midnight today, during heavy rainstorms, several vehicles crashed killing four people in one car and one person in another car.

A Sigalert was issued at 12:18 a.m. and all lanes of the southbound I-5 were closed at Highway 14 for approximately eight hours, while traffic was diverted to the truck route. Lanes were reopened at 8:38 a.m.

No other information was available at the time of this report.

This is part of the April 09, 2010 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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