Suspected Drunk Driver Kills 2, Injures Their Children

A suspected drunk driver fleeing police in a stolen vehicle broadsided a car Friday, killing a married couple and critically injuring their 7-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son, Los Angeles police said.

Coroner’s officials said Ernesto Antonio Medina, 32, and Anna Lux Medina, 28, were killed about 12:20 a.m. in North Hills when a car driven by an unidentified 28-year-old man rammed into their car at Hayvenhurst Avenue and Parthenia Street.

Police had just halted their high-speed pursuit of the car, but the driver apparently kept going at full throttle. Officials say the stolen Ford Bronco may have been traveling about 70 m.p.h. when it ran through a red light and barreled into the Medina’s compact Nissan.

The children, Carlos and Yesenia, were both listed in critical but stable condition after being airlifted to Children’s Hospital, according to coroner’s official Scott Carrier.

“They look very bad and I am still very nervous about them,” said Anna Elsie Escobar, the children’s grandmother.

The unidentified man has been booked on murder charges. He was taken to Northridge Medical Center and released after treatment for minor injuries. Police said the man has refused to give his name.

Family members said the children rode with their father from their Van Nuys home to pick up Anna Medina from work. Though it was late at night, they said Ernesto hated to leave the children at home.

“He was very good with them, very happy with them,” said Escobar, who is the mother of Anna Medina. “He would always teach them things so that they would be better people.”