Early on Sunday, Feb. 9, a drunk driver allegedly caused the death of six people while driving on the wrong side of the Pomona freeway, also known as the 60 freeway, near the city of Diamond Bar, according to CHP reports.
On the same day at 2 a.m., five other people were killed in another wrong-way crash on the other side of the country, in Florida, including four University of South Florida fraternity brothers. It is unclear whether alcohol was involved.
In the Pomona freeway crash, 21-year-old driver Olivia Carolee Culbreath of Fontana is suspected of driving drunk and was arrested on felony charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and manslaughter. Culbreath was hospitalized at County USC Medical Center with a fractured femur and ruptured bladder. According to DMV records, Olivia Carolee Culbreath was previously convicted with an underaged DUI in 2011 when she was 17.
Culbreath’s sister, 24-year-old Maya Louise Culbreath of Rialto, and 21-year-old Kristin Melissa Young of Chino were both passengers in Olivia Culbreath’s Chevy Camaro. Both Maya Louise Culbreath and Young were killed when the Camaro collided with a red 1998 Ford Explorer.
A gray 2006 Ford Freestyle was then involved in the crash when the Explorer collided with the Freestyle. A family of four from Huntington Park was inside the Explorer. None survived. The members of the family were identified as 47-year-old Gregorio Mejia-Martinez, 42-year-old Leticia Ibarra, 20-year-old Jessica Jasmine Mejia and Esther Delgado. Delgado’s age was not given.
Three people were ejected from the cars during the crash and four people were pronounced dead at the scene. Two women were taken to UC Irvine Medical Center, but did not survive their injuries. The driver of the Freestyle, 57-year-old Joel Cortez of Ontario, survived with scratches and severe bruising.
Anyone who witnessed the collision or has further information about the case in Diamond Bar is urged to contact the California Highway Patrol Baldwin Park area office at 626-338-1164.