Four killed in Manteca, including baby, after van flips over and catches on fire
MANTECA, Calif. - Four people, including a baby boy, were killed over the weekend in Manteca after a crash on Highway 120, a site now filled with candles, flowers and a cross to mark the tragedy.
The California Highway Patrol said that the driver of a Toyota minivan lost control on Saturday about 10 p.m., overturned and caught fire. The driver was traveling with six passengers.
The CHP said the driver was traveling about 65 mph on wet roads.
The driver, along with a woman, the baby boy and another child died. Three other children in the car survived and were taken to the hospital.
Witnesses told KCRA3 that more than a dozen people stopped to help, and tried to turn the minivan over and get everyone out.
"We saw 15-to-20 people assisting, pushing the car up from its side to try to get it's back on its wheels," Gina Rosamond told the news station.
Joe Rosamond, a pilot with the Army National Guard, ran towards the burning van. His wife took video of the scene.
"One of the guys there next to me said, 'Grab the baby,' He must have looked down and saw an arm," he said. "I kneeled down and tried to scoop up the baby as quickly and gently as I could."
He handed the baby off to his wife, Gina and ran back to help the other victims.
"I ran closer to our truck, away from the smoke and started chest compressions because the baby didn't have a pulse," she told KCRA3.
Gina Rosamond told KCRA3 it was amazing to see strangers work together to save the kids.
"I feel like everybody just fit in where they could," she said. "If that was my family in that car, I would hope all of these good citizens were there for me. It was very beautiful to see and touching."
Good Samaritan Gina Rosamond took video of strangers helping a family in a burning van in Manteca. Photo via KCRA
Four people, including a baby boy, were killed over the weekend in Manteca after a crash on Highway 120, a site now filled with candles, flowers and a cross to mark the tragedy. Photo: KCRA
Four people, including a baby boy, were killed over the weekend in Manteca after a crash on Highway 120, a site now filled with candles, flowers and a cross to mark the tragedy. Photo: KCRA
Four people, including a baby boy, were killed over the weekend in Manteca after a crash on Highway 120, a site now filled with candles, flowers and a cross to mark the tragedy. Photo: KCRA