PRESS RELEASE
Fatal Traffic Collision Update
Downey, CA, February 7, 2018:
On February 1st, 2018, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed two felony charges against 21-year-old Ilse Moreno-Arredondo of Whittier in connection with the October 22, 2017 fatal traffic collision that occurred at the intersection of Brookshire Avenue and Firestone Boulevard. The charges filed were one count of felony vehicular manslaughter and one count of felony DUI against Moreno-Arredondo, as she was found to have been under the influence of both marijuana and prescription medication at the time of the collision.
The collision occurred on October 22, 2017 at approximately 9:10 p.m. Witnesses observed a vehicle traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed on Firestone collide into the rear of vehicle that was stopped for the red signal at Brookshire also headed eastbound on Firestone. All three passengers in the stopped vehicle were rushed to local hospitals for treatment of serious injuries.
The collision ultimately took the life of the rear passenger, 18-year-old Karla Salazar. Salazar succumbed to her injuries on October 23, 2017 at St. Frances Hospital in Lynwood. The female driver and male passenger were also both seriously injured, but survived the collision. All of the victims were 18 year old Downey residents.
The driver of the suspect vehicle, Ilse Moreno-Arredondo, was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries and placed under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence of marijuana on the night of the occurrence. Moreno-Arredondo is set to face charges on February 26, 2018 at Downey Superior Court.
Anyone with information related to this investigation should contact Traffic Investigator Mario Flores at (562) 904-2339 or Special Operations Sergeant Jaime Pelayo at (562) 904-2342.
