Passenger dies in freeway hit-and-run A fatal...

Passenger dies in freeway hit-and-run

A fatal hit-and-run car accident blocked traffic Tuesday morning

on the southbound transition from the Costa Mesa Freeway onto the

southbound San Diego Freeway.

The 9:28 a.m. crash occurred when a blue Honda Accord was forced

to take evasive action to avoid hitting a silver SUV, said California

Highway Patrol spokesperson Colleen Richardson.

Witnesses said the silver SUV cut across the No. 4 lane of the

transition lanes, causing the Honda in the No. 5 lane to swerve, she

said. The Honda careened onto the concrete berm on the side of the

transition and then rolled several times, ejecting the passenger who

died at the scene, Richardson said.

Driver Yoni Memije-Vinalay, 21, of Santa Ana was taken to Western

Medical Center with moderate injuries, she said. The passenger, Luis

Goytia, 41, was wearing only a shoulder belt with no lap belt. The

Honda stopped in the middle of the connector bridge onto the San

Diego Freeway, blocking all lanes of traffic, Richardson said. It was

still not cleared early in the afternoon as California Highway Patrol

officials investigated.

Witnesses say the silver SUV slowed down momentarily after the

accident and then continued on the transition road, Richardson said.

She said that if the passenger had been wearing a lap belt, he

probably would not have died.