ROAD OF TRAGEDY CRASH VICTIM'S NEIGHBOR PERISHES.Byline: Bhavna Mistry Staff Writer CANYON COUNTRY - A traffic collision Thursday along Soledad Canyon Soledad Canyon is a long narrow canyon / valley located in Los Angeles County, California between the cities of Palmdale and Santa Clarita. Soledad Canyon contains the localities of Vincent, Acton, Ravenna, and Agua Dulce. Road claimed the fourth life to be lost on the thoroughfare in five days, killing a local dog groomer who had just lost a good friend and neighbor only days earlier on the same road. Lianne Levenson, 51, was killed shortly after 9 a.m. on Soledad Canyon Road at River Circle Road when her 1988 Ford Aerostar The Ford Aerostar was Ford's first minivan, and was introduced as a 1986 model in summer 1985. Although introduced to compete with the front-wheel drive Dodge Caravan/Plymouth Voyager twins, it was a rear-wheel drive minivan, like the Chevrolet Astro and Toyota Van. collided with a semi truck driven by Hector Guzman, 33, of Madera, investigators said. Deputies said one of the drivers traveled through a red light, but that the investigation is continuing. ``She was the most gentle individual you would ever meet,'' said Alicia Roth, a close friend and neighbor. ``A great many people are stunned stun tr.v. stunned, stun·ning, stuns 1. To daze or render senseless, by or as if by a blow. 2. To overwhelm or daze with a loud noise. 3. and grieving.'' It was Sunday morning Sunday Morning may refer to:
 This article or section is written like an . Officer
Larry Piesco was taking an off-duty motorcycle ride with co-workers
along Soledad Canyon Road north of Agua Dulce Agua Dulce is Spanish for "sweet water". It also refers to various locations:In Mexico:
The officer - only days away from retirement - was hit by a vehicle driven by an 81-year-old man on his way to a Father's Day celebration, police said. The man, Dean Wilder of Sylmar, made a U-turn in front of the officer's Honda motorcycle. He was also killed. Levenson and Piesco shared a driveway and lived across from each other. Neighbors gathered at Levenson's home Thursday, answering calls from concerned friends and acquaintances. ``We were already knocked over with Larry's death, and then today, we're hit again,'' Roth said. ``It's just incredible. It's unbelievable.'' Sheriff's officials said Guzman, whose truck was carrying a load of lawn merchandise, was driving east on Soledad Canyon Road when the semi hit Levenson's vehicle as she made a left turn from River Circle into the west lanes. Guzman's truck pushed the van 150 feet across all lanes, stopping and overturning when it hit the curb of a sidewalk, police said. ``The van got impacted by a tremendous amount of momentum,'' said Deputy Mark Slater, a traffic investigator. Levenson and her passenger, James Woolsey, 44, of Canyon Country were transported to Henry Mayo Medical Center. Levenson was pronounced dead a short time later. Woolsey remains in critical condition. Officials said Woolsey was helping Levenson with her dog grooming business and the two were on their way to work when the collision occurred. Guzman is an independent truck driver who was carrying loads for Home Depot The Home Depot (NYSE: HD) is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services. Headquartered in Vinings, just outside Atlanta in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia, Home Depot employs more than 355,000 people and operates 2,164 big-box . He had just made a delivery at a nearby store and was on his way to Lancaster, officials said. Though Soledad Canyon Road has been the site of three traffic collisions in the past week, sheriff's officials said nothing can explain the recent surge. ``It's probably just a coincidence,'' Slater said. ``It's our major artery. It covers the most distance in the valley.'' David Fresquez, 27, was killed Tuesday evening after his car was hit by a car driven by Joe Chaidez, 23, police said. Chaidez lost control of his Acura, which hit the center divider divider See European currency quotation. , became airborne and landed on Fresquez's Chevrolet Z28. Fresquez was killed instantly and his wife, Karyn, was seriously injured. Chaidez, who is suspected of drag racing drag racing Form of motor racing in which two contestants race side by side from a standing start over a straight quarter-mile strip of pavement. Winners go on to compete against others in their class until only one is left undefeated. , is being held on $250,000 bail on charges of vehicular manslaughter vehicular manslaughter n. the crime of causing the death of a human being due to illegal driving of an automobile, including gross negligence, drunk driving, reckless driving, or speeding. with gross negligence An indifference to, and a blatant violation of, a legal duty with respect to the rights of others. Gross negligence is a conscious and voluntary disregard of the need to use reasonable care, which is likely to cause foreseeable grave injury or harm to persons, property, or . CAPTION(S): 2 photos, map Photo: (1 -- color) Hector Guzman, the driver of a truck involved in a fatal crash Thursday on Soledad Canyon Road, uses his cell phone. (2) County rescuers check out a minivan involved in a crash Thursday on Soledad Canyon Road. The driver, Lianne Levenson, 51, was killed and her passenger was critically injured. Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer Map: FATAL DRIVE Daily News |
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