According to the California Highway Patrol, a blue Nissan Rogue traveling on the northbound freeway lost control and slammed into the back of a gold Toyota Rav4 stopped in the center median. Three minors riding in the Nissan were ejected from the vehicle
Lebec, CA – Authorities have identified the second juvenile who was killed in a car crash that took place on Christmas Day on the 5 Freeway near Lebec.
According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, 6-year-old Jayden Preciado, of Lynwood, was one of the two children who died in the crash. The other child had earlier been identified by family as 9-year-old Jorge Preciado.
The crash happened just before 3 p.m. December 25, on the Golden State (5) Freeway south of Vista Del Lago Road.
According to the California Highway Patrol, a blue Nissan Rogue traveling on the northbound freeway lost control and slammed into the back of a gold Toyota Rav4 stopped in the center median. Three minors riding in the Nissan were ejected from the vehicle.
Despite life-saving efforts by medics, 9-year-old Jorge and 6-year-old Jayden were pronounced deceased at the scene.
The driver of the Nissan, Jorge Preciado, 28, of Long Beach, was arrested on charges of vehicular manslaughter following the crash. He was booked into the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.
There was no update on the condition of other parties involved in the accident. An investigation by the California Highway Patrol is still ongoing.
Los Angeles continues to face a significant challenge with traffic safety, consistently experiencing high rates of collisions, injuries, and fatalities. In 2023, there were 337 traffic-related fatalities in the city of Los Angeles, surpassing the number of homicides that year. This trend reflects a worrying increase, with deaths rising for three consecutive years despite the city’s “Vision Zero” initiative, which aims to eliminate all traffic fatalities by 2025. Preliminary data for 2024 suggested the city was on pace for another year with over 300 deaths. A major characteristic of LA’s crash statistics is the disproportionate risk to vulnerable road users: more than half of the traffic deaths in 2023 were pedestrians. Hit-and-run incidents are also a persistent problem, accounting for 108 deaths in 2023, and data for 2024 indicated a continued high rate of such collisions, with communities of color being disproportionately affected. Common contributing factors to these incidents include speeding, distracted driving, and driving under the influence (DUI), with the most dangerous times often being weekday afternoons and evenings. Major interstates (such as the I-10, I-405, and I-5) and heavily trafficked local intersections are identified as crash hotspots within the county.
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