The pileup transpired around 11:09 a.m. Tuesday, December 2, on northbound Highway 87 just north of Curtner Avenue.
San Jose, CA. – A mother and her daughter who died last week in a fiery multi-vehicle collision in San Jose were identified as 29-year-old Ivana Balistreri and 1-year-old Lilliana Balistreri.
The pileup transpired around 11:09 a.m. Tuesday, December 2, on northbound Highway 87 just north of Curtner Avenue.
Two Teslas, a Lexus, and a Toyota were involved in the crash. Both Teslas and the Lexus caught fire after the impact.
Balistreri, her fiancé and her daughter Lilliana were in the Lexus. Balistreri and Lilliana died at the scene. Her fiancé was transported to the hospital in unknown condition.
The toddler was in a child safety seat in the back.
Balistreri had just gotten engaged to her finance, and their daughter's birthday was two weeks away on December 16. Their family opened a GoFundMe account to help them raise funds for funeral expenses.
The driver of the other Tesla was also hospitalized in unknown condition.
The driver of the Toyota remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
Alcohol and drugs were not suspected to be factors but an investigation is ongoing.
San Jose has faced a persistent challenge with traffic safety, experiencing a high number of collisions and fatalities in recent years. In 2022, the city saw over 12,000 reported collisions resulting in hundreds of injuries and deaths. The trend of significant traffic fatalities continued into 2023, with a total of 49 traffic-related deaths reported, which included a particularly high number of 27 pedestrian deaths. Preliminary data for 2024 suggested a potential, though slight, improvement in the overall trend, aligning with broader state and national trends of decreasing traffic fatalities in the first half of the year. However, early reports from April 2024 indicated that traffic deaths in San Jose had reached 13 just four months into the year. A primary factor in many local crashes, especially those involving pedestrians, includes distracted driving, inattention, failure to obey traffic laws, and speeding, with many severe incidents occurring on busier multi-lane roadways at night.
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