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Wrong-way driver killed in head-on collision in Orange

July 10, 2023

A man drove a sedan the wrong way on a major street in Orange and collided with a pickup truck and a car before he was ejected and killed, authorities said Sunday.

The chain of events started at 8:19 p.m. Saturday when dispatchers received two calls about a man passed out in the driver’s seat of a Hyundai Elantra at a green light at Katella Avenue and Tustin Street, said Orange police Lt. Phillip McMullin.

“At 8:20 p.m. and as patrol officers were responding, the driver awoke and proceeded west on Katella,” McMullin said. “Between Cambridge and Shaffer streets, the Hyundai drifted into oncoming traffic and collided into a Toyota Tundra and a Honda Insight.”

The driver and sole occupant of the Hyundai was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene by Orange firefighters, he said. It was not known if drugs or alcohol were factors in the collision or if the driver of the Hyundai experienced a medical emergency. The driver does have prior arrests for DUI and being under the influence of controlled substances, McMullen said.

The Tundra driver and his 4-year-old daughter were taken to a hospital with minor injuries and the Honda driver remained at the scene with minor injuries. Both of these drivers were not impaired.

Katella Avenue was closed for between Cambridge and Shaffer streets for the investigation, he said.

Anyone with information can contact Det. Rocha at 714-744-7342.

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