Newport man dies in car crash

A 75-year-old Newport Beach man was killed Saturday afternoon when

his car skidded down a freeway embankment and struck a tree.

Robert Taylor Smith died following the accident, Orange County

supervising deputy coroner Mitchell Sigal said.

Smith was driving his 2002 Mercedes ML500 just after 1:30 p.m. on

the Jamboree Road onramp to the Corona del Mar Freeway south when he

made an “unsafe turning movement” that sent his car off the road and

down the embankment, according to a California Highway Patrol press

release.

Members of the Costa Mesa Fire Department pronounced Smith dead at

the scene at 1:54 p.m., according to the Highway Patrol.

-- Marisa O’Neil