The accident on Glendora Mountain Road Monday claimed the life of an 18-year-old who was apparently not wearing a safety belt, according to early reports. This from reporter Amanda Baumfeld, who is working the story this morning:
Mary E. Lange, 18, has died after a car she was a passenger in went over an embankment on Glendora Mountain Road Monday around 6 p.m., according to Officer Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh of the California Highway Patrol.
It is likely that Lang was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the car, Van Valkenburgh added.
Lange was riding in a Toyota Tercel apparently driven by *Stephanie Bergner, 18, * officials said. The driver lost control and the car careened over an embankment at mile marker 5*, authorities said. Berger and a third girl, identified as Esther Cota, were severely injured.
Here’s the AP story. I’ll update with a map and photos later.
*The girls apparently lived in the David and Margaret Youth and Family Services home in La Verne.
*We’ve found MySpace pages apparently associated with the girls.
Here’s a MySpace apparently belonging to Mary.
This may be the MySpace for Stephanie.
**CHP sources tell us that the girls may have been in the mountains to go fishing. There is no evidence that alcohol or drugs were involved in the crash, officials said.
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They should close this road to motor vehicles. There is probably an accident a week, a fatality or serious injury monthly and who knows how many unreported incidents. I am a cyclist and hiker and see a motorcycle down minimally once a month. Often they don’t want authorities involved.
The road is primarily driven by motorcyclists and auto drivers as a “grown up” e-ticket ride.
Hi… umm… I knew Mary and Esther as my friend and we go to school together and lived in David and Margaret Home. I just heard the news today. The girls that go to school here at Joan Macy and that lived in David and Margaret are really shocked and devastated when they heard the news. We are really sad about what had just happened and that hopefully it won’t happened again. Mary has always been a great friend. Very joyful and loves pets. I can’t belived that this happened so fast… the last time I saw her and talk to her was around two weeks ago before she died. Our love goes out to Mary and hopefully our friend Esther will be healed from the car accident soon.
Sarah B. said they should close the road to motor vehicles, WHY ? The road did not jump up and toss the car off it. I’m sorry anyone got or gets hurt but stupid drivers are to blame…..not the road !
People just have to be careful and not speed on roads like this. That’s all.
another stupid death because of not wearing seatbelts. when are people going to figure it out? want a better chance of making it to your destination alive? put on the damn seat belt.
Withheld Marys seatbelt didn’t work. it wasnt that she wasnt wearing one! COWARD can’t even put your name!!
Was just googling my mom, Esther Cota, who passed away in 2006. Just because I miss her so much. I am thankful that the Esther Cota in this story survived.
Excuse me? Close the road to vehicles because of an accident?
We drive this road every weekend to Mount Baldy Village and we never get in over our heads. We drive carefully. The biggest issue on this road are the inconsiderate drivers who fail to use the turnouts and refuse to yield to vehicles piling up behind them.
These knee-jerk calls to (illogical) action by people who don’t even drive on a regular basis are really annoying.