Suspected DUI crash in Orange County kills child and 2 adults

A child and two adults aboard a church van were killed this week when a suspected drunk driver rammed the van and other vehicles in Placentia, authorities said.

According to the Placentia Police Department, several passengers who were returning home from a Bible study were ejected from the large white van during the crash, which happened around 8:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Authorities declared Alberto Vicente Lopez, 36, and Gregoria Ramirez, 65, dead at the scene.

Two children were taken to Orange County Children’s Hospital, where one of them, 10-year-old Lucero Lopez, died, Sgt. Joe Connell told the Orange County Register. Lucero was Alberto Lopez’s stepdaughter.

Three other seriously injured people were also transported to the UCI medical centre.

The driver of the black sedan, Mario Armando Paz Jr., 24, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, police said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.