The families of a couple killed in a crash on the 605 Freeway in Norwalk alleged Tuesday, Aug. 26, that a California Highway Patrol officer rear-ended the couple’s Nissan sedan but then didn’t put flares or warning lights around the disabled car.
A second car, a Kia, then rear-ended the Nissan, which burst into flames. All four occupants in the Nissan died at the scene: the driver, 23-year-old Juliana “Julie” Hamori of Huntington Beach, her boyfriend 24-year-old Armand Del Campo of San Pedro and their friends, 23-year-old Jordan Partridge of Midway City and 22-year-old Samantha Skocilic of Westminster.
They were heading home July 20 after attending an of Montreal concert at The Belasco.
Attorneys for the families of Hamori and Del Campo announced at a Tuesday news conference in front of the CHP’s Santa Fe Springs area office that they had filed a government claim last week against the CHP and Officer Angelo Rodriguez. It is the first step toward a civil lawsuit.
The families want answers about how the crashes happened, why the officer allegedly hit the Nissan, why the Nissan with the four young people was allegedly left stranded on the freeway and where the CHP officer was after he allegedly rear-ended the Nissan. They also said the preliminary CHP reports they received have inaccuracies such as the time of both crashes being 12:50 a.m.
Angie Reed, Del Campo’s mother, said her son called her twice and sent two text messages at 12:56 a.m. : “letting you know we got in collision on 605 south.” “Don’t panic. we’re okay waiting for police.”
Reed was asleep at the time and didn’t see the messages until later that morning.
Partridge also called her mother using Skocilic’s phone, said Luis Correa, who is a friend of the four victims. He talked to Partridge’s mother last week and she told him about the phone call and her heading to the scene of the crash.
She told her mother they just got into an accident. Her mother asked where they were.
“Armand was calling out the exit,” Correa said, adding the others were saying they were fine. “Then the call was cut off.”
“Four young adults have lost their lives. They should have been protected,” said Thomas Feher, who is one of the attorneys representing the families. “We are going to demand answers. … These families deserve answers.”
Her son was at the peak of his life, Reed said, adding he got a brand new job and was talking about getting engaged.
“He had a bright future,” she said.
It’s been five weeks of no answers, Reed said.
“There are four families shattered,” she said. “Nothing will ever bring them back but we need answers.”
Kathy Stickel, Hamori’s aunt, went to Reed’s home to notify her about the fatal crash. Reed told her she knew about the collision and that her son texted that he was OK. Stickel then told Reed there was a second crash.
“I’m here to find justice,” Stickel said.
Del Campo died instantly in the second crash, she said.
“But my niece Julie. She didn’t die in the crash. She died in the fire as the CHP stood and watched and I want to know why,” Stickel said.
Officer Rodriguez couldn’t be reached for comment on Tuesday.
“This was a heartbreaking tragedy, and our thoughts are with the families impacted by this incident. Both crashes remain under investigation; we are unable to provide further comment at this time,” said Sgt. Daniel Keene, a spokesman for the CHP.
Rodriguez rear-ended the Nissan while allegedly driving at an unsafe speed for conditions and was inattentive, according to the claim. The crash on the southbound 605, south of Imperial Highway, caused major damage to the Nissan, which became disabled in the car pool lane, the claim continued. The officer abandoned Hamori and her passengers, the claim alleged.
“Officer Rodriguez left the four individuals stranded in the disabled vehicle in the HOV lane of the 605 at extreme risk of being struck by another vehicle,” the claim said.
“If it were not for Officer Rodriguez’ actions, Juliana Hamori, Armand Del Campo, Jordan Partridge, and Samantha Skocilic would still be alive,” the claim said.
The information released by the CHP in July didn’t give details on the collision between the CHP car and the Nissan and didn’t name the officer.
The CHP received reports at 12:53 a.m. on July 20 about a crash involving one of their patrol vehicles and a Nissan sedan, according to a CHP statement.
A Kia sedan hit the disabled Nissan resulting in the driver and passengers being trapped in the fully engulfed Nissan, the CHP said at the time.
Officers arrested the Kia’s driver, Iris Salmeron, on suspicion of driving under the influence. She and a second person in her car were taken to hospital with major injuries.
Salmeron hasn’t been charged and the investigation is ongoing, said Officer Marissa McIntire, a spokeswoman for the CHP.