Three people were killed when a gravel truck crashed into a home. (Santa Barbara County Fire Dept. / August 24, 2010) |
SANTA BARBARA -- Authorities are investigating whether mechanical or operational failure caused a big-rig to slam in to a home in Santa Barbara, killing a man, woman and a child.
The truck was hauling two trailers full of gravel when it careened off State Route 154 and crashed into the house on State Street about 6:50 a.m. Tuesday, destroying the building.
About 90 minutes after the crash, authorities discovered the bodies of a man and a woman. A short time later, the body of the child was found.
Neighbors identified the victims as 27-year-old Lorena Pachecho, 23-year-old Leonel (Leo) Leon and their 7-year-old son, Jaciel Tellez.
It appears the truck's brakes failed, according to CHP officer Jeremy Wayland at the scene. It's unclear if the problem was operator error or mechanical failure Wayland told KTLA.
Wayland says the truck driver, identified Joaquin Morales, left Oxnard Tuesday morning and went to a rock quarry in Santa Ynez to get a load of gravel.
He filled up his trailers and was heading for Santa Paula to deliver the 26 ton load when he noticed some problems with his brakes.
He thought he had resolved the problem and continued on until he arrived in the Santa Barbara area.
The driver noticed a problem with his brakes again and was unable to slow the vehicle down.
He managed to negotiate through the intersection before slamming into two parked cars and headed down the embankment onto the house, Wayland told KTLA.
The truck driver suffered facial cuts and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The Leon family moved to the United States from Oaxaca, Mexico, about five years ago, according to neighbors.
Leo Leon worked as a chef and Lorena Leon as a housewife.
The family was preparing for Leo Leon's 24th birthday on Friday.
Neighbors initially told investigators there may be a fourth child inside the home, but search crews determined that no one else was home at the time of the crash.
The truck was hauling two trailers full of gravel when it careened off State Route 154 and crashed into the house on State Street about 6:50 a.m. Tuesday, destroying the building.
About 90 minutes after the crash, authorities discovered the bodies of a man and a woman. A short time later, the body of the child was found.
Neighbors identified the victims as 27-year-old Lorena Pachecho, 23-year-old Leonel (Leo) Leon and their 7-year-old son, Jaciel Tellez.
It appears the truck's brakes failed, according to CHP officer Jeremy Wayland at the scene. It's unclear if the problem was operator error or mechanical failure Wayland told KTLA.
Wayland says the truck driver, identified Joaquin Morales, left Oxnard Tuesday morning and went to a rock quarry in Santa Ynez to get a load of gravel.
He filled up his trailers and was heading for Santa Paula to deliver the 26 ton load when he noticed some problems with his brakes.
He thought he had resolved the problem and continued on until he arrived in the Santa Barbara area.
The driver noticed a problem with his brakes again and was unable to slow the vehicle down.
He managed to negotiate through the intersection before slamming into two parked cars and headed down the embankment onto the house, Wayland told KTLA.
The truck driver suffered facial cuts and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The Leon family moved to the United States from Oaxaca, Mexico, about five years ago, according to neighbors.
Leo Leon worked as a chef and Lorena Leon as a housewife.
The family was preparing for Leo Leon's 24th birthday on Friday.
Neighbors initially told investigators there may be a fourth child inside the home, but search crews determined that no one else was home at the time of the crash.
