Around 11 a.m. on Sunday, February 13, 2011, a tragic accident occurred in Laguna Niguel when a mother and son were walking on the sidewalk of Moulton Parkway near Nueva Vista Drive. Police say the mom and son were walking northbound on Moulton Parkway when the mom rescued a dog from traffic.
According to Jim Amormino, spokesperson for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Mara Steves, the 48-year-old mom, went to the northeast corner of Moulton Parkway and Nueva Vista and knelt down on the sidewalk after corralling the dog.
A Toyota 4Runner hit a Ford Explorer at that intersection, which sent the Explorer up onto the sidewalk where Steves was kneeling. The vehicle plowed into Steves, killing her.
The Orange County police believe that one of the vehicles may have run a red light. They are still investigating the deadly crash. There is also speculation that alcohol may have contributed to the crash as well. It is unknown if the dog played a factor in the crash at this point.
The male driver of the 4Runner and his female passenger sustained non life-threatening injuries, and the male driver of the Ford Explorer received minor injuries. All were taken to local hospitals for medical care.
Steves’s son was not hit during the crash, and the dog escaped unhurt.
This tragic Orange County pedestrian and car crash is still under investigation.
Steves was the mother of two, volunteered at a school, and was loved by many. Over three hundred people gathered Monday night in Laguna Niguel to remember Mara Steves.
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