Investigation ongoing into deadly New Year’s crash

Photo by Alex Dominguez

DOWNEY - Police are looking for information into a deadly traffic collision that occurred at the intersection of Florence and Woodruff Avenues on New Year’s Day.

At approximately 4:16 pm on Jan. 1, a vehicle driven by a 26-year-old male resident of Chandler Arizona was traveling eastbound on Florence Avenue when it collided with another vehicle driven by an 18-year-old female from Whittier, who was turning southbound on Woodruff Ave from westbound Florence Ave.

The passenger of the turning vehicle, later identified by family as 18-year-old Christian Lopez of Whittier, succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at a local trauma center.

One other person sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.

Lopez, a recent graduate and valedictorian at Whittier High School, was a student at UCLA where he was studying Political Science, though his mother, Veronica Sandoval, says that he had intended to make the switch to medicine as early as the upcoming semester.

Sandoval described her son as “a good friend, and a good boy.”

“He didn’t deserve this,” she said.

She added that a vigil has been planned by friends and loved ones for Friday at the site of the crash. No time was given.

The investigation is still ongoing, and no arrests have been made. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Downey Police Department at 562-904-2342, or Investigator Alaina Clark at 562-904-2339.