A tragic 2-car crash in Newport Beach on Tuesday, Dec. 9 resulted in the deaths of Gabriela Andrade (28) and driver Henry Saldana-Mejia (27), and injuries to their three children as well as the driver charged with causing the fatal crash, Grace Elizabeth Coleman (22).
The crash occurred about 7:45 p.m. in the area of Newport Coast Drive and Pelican Hill Road South, when a Range Rover, driven by Coleman, and a Nissan, which held Andrade and Saldana-Mejia along with their three children, crashed.
Sadly, first responders arrived to find that Andrade and Saldana-Mejia had been killed. The fatal crash also resulted in the children and Coleman being taken to the hospital with undisclosed injuries.
UPDATE: The names of the victims and the driver of the Range Rover have been released along with additional details surrounding the tragic fatal car crash. This post has been updated accordingly.
Gabriela’s sister, Ana Belen Moreno, has set up a GoFundMe on behalf of the children. Donations can be made here.
The orphaned children of Henry Eduardo Saldana-Mejia and Gabriela M. Andrade. From left to right, Elena, Emma, and Samantha.
Henry’s sister, Dayanna Saldaña Mejía, is currently taking care of the children in the hospital.
The driver of the Range Rover, 22-year-old Grace Elizabeth Coleman, was arrested on suspicion of traffic homicide and hit and run resulting in death. According to the Newport Beach Police Department, upon their arrival at the scene they found that Coleman had exited her vehicle in an attempt to leave the scene of the fatal crash. Police located her in the area and took her into custody. Coleman has a prior conviction for driving under the influence.
Accidents like these often leave victims with the right to pursue a claim. As one of the leading catastrophic personal injury law firms in California, Callahan & Blaine has obtained numerous record-breaking verdicts and settlements in cases like this, helping bring some small justice to the aggrieved family. If you or someone you know has suffered a catastrophic injury or died as the result of an accident, contact the best personal injury attorneys in Orange County for expert legal counsel. Contact Callahan & Blaine if you believe you have a right to seek justice at (888) 894-1703.
