Police Investigate Crash That Killed Family
KESQ.com News Services
MORENO VALLEY -An investigation was expected to resume today in the deaths of a Moreno Valley High assistant football coach, his wife and their two children, who were killed in a fiery six-vehicle crash on a freeway in San Bernardino County.
The crash was reported around 12:30 p.m. Saturday on a stretch of Interstate 15 between the Pomona (60) Freeway and the San Bernardino (10) Freeway. The lurid crash scene, death investigations, and clearing the wreckage snarled Southland traffic on all three freeways for several hours.
Ryan Villalpando, 32, wife Veronica Villalpando 29, their son Mateo, 4, and infant Bella Rose died in the crash south of East Jurupa Street in Ontario, Moreno Valley football coach Ted Wadkins told the Press-Enterprise of Riverside.
The wreck involved three big rigs and three other vehicles, and the Villalpandos’ vehicle was trapped between two of the trucks and burst into flames, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Wadkins learned about the deaths Saturday afternoon.
“He was my offensive line coach,” Wadkins told the newspaper. “I met him at Cal State San Bernardino and he was the first guy I hired. He’s taught the last five years at Moreno Valley.”
Wadkins said Veronica Villalpando taught at an aerospace school at Norton Air Force Base.
“They’ll be severely missed,” Wadkins told the Press-Enterprise.
The San Bernardino County coroner had not officially identified the victims as of this morning.
