One person is dead and one injured following a three-vehicle crash late Monday night, and a local man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in connection with the crash.
The person killed in the crash was identified by officials with the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner as Meaghan York, 21, of Santa Clarita.
An autopsy has been scheduled, said Kelli Blanchard, spokeswoman for the coroner’s office.
About 11:24 p.m. Monday, the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station was notified of an injury traffic collision involving three vehicles — a pickup truck and two other vehicles.
First responders, which included deputies, firefighters and paramedics with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, responded to the crash at the intersection of Soledad Canyon Road and Sand Canyon Road in Canyon Country.
A Ford Ranger pickup, Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Prius had been involved in the collision, according to first responders at the crash site.
Preliminary indications are that the driver of the Ford Ranger pickup truck, identified as 20-year-old Joshua Austin, of Santa Clarita, was traveling westbound on Soledad Canyon Road, when he failed to stop at a red light, and collided with the driver’s side of the Hyundai Elantra, Shirley Miller, spokeswoman for the SCV Sheriff’s Station, wrote in a news release issued Tuesday morning.
York, the driver of the Hyundai Elantra, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The driver of the Toyota Prius was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
Austin was detained at the scene by deputies and arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Deputies were still on the scene as of 1:15 a.m., according to SCV Sheriff’s Station officials, who added that the investigation was in its preliminary phases, and there wasn’t much more information immediately available.
SCV Sheriff’s Station Traffic Office detectives are in the early stages of this investigation. However, speed and driving under the influence of alcohol are being examined as possible factors that led to the fatal traffic collision.
Anyone with information regarding this collision is encouraged to call Detective Cramer of the SCV Sheriff’s Station Traffic Office at 661-255-1121, ext. 5111. You can also submit information through L.A. CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by using the website www.LACrimeStoppers.org.
