TRAFFIC COLLISIONS CLAIM 4.

Byline: Eric Wahlgren Daily News Staff Writer

A Pacific storm raked across Los Angeles on Friday, bringing more than an inch of rain, triggering hundreds of collisions on slippery roadways, and causing at least four fatalities.

Although the front end of the storm was heading toward Nevada late Friday, the tail end of the system could bring another batch of showers today, the National Weather Service predicted.

``There's a good chance of showers,'' said meteorologist Gary Ryan. ``This is a typical, showery-type winter storm.''

Within a three-hour period - from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. - more than an inch of rain fell at the Civic Center downtown, said David Bruno, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. Flooding caused police officers to close to traffic the Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area about 10:30 p.m. Friday, officials said.

Temperatures today are expected to be in the low to high 60s, which is normal for this time of year, he said.

But talk about a freaky Friday - as rain came down in sheets across the Southland, a tornado-like funnel cloud wreaked havoc in Long Beach, tearing a 60-by-60-foot gash into the roof of a supermarket, damaging homes and snapping trees in two.

The city's Fire Department reported only one minor injury during the weather-caused mayhem. Yet in a rare moment for Southern California, the National Weather Service actually issued a tornado advisory. It remained in effect only for a few minutes.

Typical on stormy days, the California Highway Patrol reported a high number of collisions Friday, with 525 crashes between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. During a same period on the last dry Friday before the holiday season - Dec. 19 - the CHP logged only 255 crashes.

``It's the same old story,'' said CHP spokesman Ernie Garcia. ``People do not adapt to the prevailing conditions. They drive as if it were just perfect weather and that is just not possible.''

Among the crashes were at least four fatalities - three that appeared to be weather-related, authorities said.

In the Valley, an 86-year-old Sylmar woman died when the car she was driving was hit by a commuter van carrying senior citizens to doctor appointments, police said.

The woman, identified as Charlotte Dincau, was making a left turn at the intersection of Vanowen Street and Columbus Avenue about 10:30 a.m. when her Oldsmobile Cutlass was hit broadside by a Dodge van transporting three patients to medical appointments, said Officer Allen Kwiatkowski of the Los Angeles Police Department.

In Arleta, a man was killed shortly after 6 p.m. when his speeding car hit another car and a parked vehicle along Van Nuys Boulevard near Canterbury Avenue, said Sgt. William McGarity of the LAPD's Foothill Division.

The man was identified as Mario Pineda Ramirez, 37, of Reseda who worked as a security officer in the Valley, said Officer Toni Wolfe of the LAPD's Valley Traffic Division.

In the Santa Clarita Valley, a man died Friday and at least seven others were injured in several crashes that turned the area's sodden freeways into tangled masses of twisted cars and trucks.

A big-rig driver, 32-year-old Jirair Ayzazyan of Glendale, was killed shortly before 1 p.m. when he lost control of his vehicle near the San Fernando Road off-ramp of the Antelope Valley Freeway in Newhall, said CHP Officer Doug Sweeney.

In Glendale, a woman was pinned under her overturned vehicle along westbound 134, near Glendale Avenue at 8:43 p.m., said Sgt. James Fitzgerald of the Glendale Police Department. The woman's condition was not immediately available at Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center.

Daily News Staff Writers Stacy Brown and Lisa Van Proyen and Daily News wire services contributed to this story.

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Photo

PHOTO A firefighter picks his way Friday through the wreckage of a big rig that flipped off the Antelope Valley Freeway.

John Lazar/Special to the Daily News