9-year-old Jayla Taylor was killed in a fiery crash on the 101 Freeway in Calabasas. (KTLA-TV) |
- Witnesses quickly came to the rescue after a rollover crash caused a car to catch fire on the 101 Freeway Saturday morning. (Image taken by Dale Johnsen)
-
VIDEO: Memorial Held for Girl Killed in Fiery Freeway Crash - Jim Nash reports
-
KTLA: Witness Recounts Fiery Freeway Crash - David Begnaud reports
- Accidental Death
- Motorvehicle Accidents
- Highway Transportation
-
See more topics »
BOYLE HEIGHTS (KTLA) -- The mother who was badly burned after she was struck by a hit-and-run driver on the 101 Freeway earlier this month in Calabasas has died.
27-year-old Gilani Taylor -- an aspiring R&B singer -- died at County USC Hospital Friday night.
Taylor was with her 9-year-old daughter Jayla when the rollover accident occurred.
Jayla was killed. Gilani suffered burns to 95 percent of her body and was put into a medically induced coma after she arrived at the hospital.
A somber memorial was held in Woodland Hills on October 12 for Jayla.
Rodney Taylor -- Gilani's husband and Jayla's father -- spoke about his wife's condition before the memorial service.
"She's still fighting for her life," he said. "I'm thanking everybody for their prayers. Continue to pray for her... I don't doubt it. She will be walking out of there."
According to the California Highway Patrol, the rollover accident occurred on October 8, at about 8:30 a.m in the eastbound lanes of the 101 Freeway, near Las Virgenes Road.
Early reports indicated Taylor lost control, hit the center divider, spinning out of control and rear-ending a semi truck.
But CHP officials now say their best witness -- who drove directly behind Taylor during the accident -- said Taylor's car never crashed into a tractor trailer. Instead, according to the witness, Taylor lost control because she was side-swiped by a large, white SUV.
CHP investigators are now on the lookout for the hit-and-run driver they believe caused the crash, said Officer Leland Tang.
The white SUV was an "early 2000s" model and was last seen heading east on the 101 Freeway under the La Virgenes Road overpass. The female witness did not see if the SUV's driver was male or female, Tang said.
The witness said the SUV clipped Taylor's car, causing her to lose control. The car then flipped and slid about 20 feet on its roof before catching fire, officials said.
The blaze started instantly and devoured the car within seconds.
Taylor was able to crawl out of the burning car but was unable to save her daughter, 9-year-old Jayla Taylor. Both were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.
Witness Dale Johnsen described how several good Samaritans helped save Taylor after seeing her car burst into flames.
"She crawled out of the window and starts crawling on her elbows of the car," Johnsen said.
"Then these guys who are out there grab her under the arms, pull her from the second to fourth lane. That's when they try to put out the fire. These guys [are] taking off their shirts to try to get the fire out."
"She's rolling in pain, on fire, and her skin is all falling off... I was shocked at first, I thought it was a horror movie."
Gilani Taylor was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center with burns to 95 percent of her body, including her lungs.
Family members say all of the skin on her body was burned off except the skin on the bottom of her feet.
She was later transferred to County-USC Medical Center's burn center. Most of her are third-degree, according to Rosa Saca, a spokeswoman for the County-USC Medical Center.
After the crash, friends and fans posted messages of support and sympathy on Taylor's Facebook page.
At this time, the CHP has no leads on the driver who may have caused the crash.
27-year-old Gilani Taylor -- an aspiring R&B singer -- died at County USC Hospital Friday night.
Taylor was with her 9-year-old daughter Jayla when the rollover accident occurred.
Jayla was killed. Gilani suffered burns to 95 percent of her body and was put into a medically induced coma after she arrived at the hospital.
A somber memorial was held in Woodland Hills on October 12 for Jayla.
Rodney Taylor -- Gilani's husband and Jayla's father -- spoke about his wife's condition before the memorial service.
"She's still fighting for her life," he said. "I'm thanking everybody for their prayers. Continue to pray for her... I don't doubt it. She will be walking out of there."
According to the California Highway Patrol, the rollover accident occurred on October 8, at about 8:30 a.m in the eastbound lanes of the 101 Freeway, near Las Virgenes Road.
Early reports indicated Taylor lost control, hit the center divider, spinning out of control and rear-ending a semi truck.
But CHP officials now say their best witness -- who drove directly behind Taylor during the accident -- said Taylor's car never crashed into a tractor trailer. Instead, according to the witness, Taylor lost control because she was side-swiped by a large, white SUV.
CHP investigators are now on the lookout for the hit-and-run driver they believe caused the crash, said Officer Leland Tang.
The white SUV was an "early 2000s" model and was last seen heading east on the 101 Freeway under the La Virgenes Road overpass. The female witness did not see if the SUV's driver was male or female, Tang said.
The witness said the SUV clipped Taylor's car, causing her to lose control. The car then flipped and slid about 20 feet on its roof before catching fire, officials said.
The blaze started instantly and devoured the car within seconds.
Taylor was able to crawl out of the burning car but was unable to save her daughter, 9-year-old Jayla Taylor. Both were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.
Witness Dale Johnsen described how several good Samaritans helped save Taylor after seeing her car burst into flames.
"She crawled out of the window and starts crawling on her elbows of the car," Johnsen said.
"Then these guys who are out there grab her under the arms, pull her from the second to fourth lane. That's when they try to put out the fire. These guys [are] taking off their shirts to try to get the fire out."
"She's rolling in pain, on fire, and her skin is all falling off... I was shocked at first, I thought it was a horror movie."
Gilani Taylor was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center with burns to 95 percent of her body, including her lungs.
Family members say all of the skin on her body was burned off except the skin on the bottom of her feet.
She was later transferred to County-USC Medical Center's burn center. Most of her are third-degree, according to Rosa Saca, a spokeswoman for the County-USC Medical Center.
After the crash, friends and fans posted messages of support and sympathy on Taylor's Facebook page.
At this time, the CHP has no leads on the driver who may have caused the crash.
