| News - Friday, May 25, 2007
Mountain View woman killed in freeway incident Tuesday
A Mountain View woman whose vehicle was struck by debris from a jackknifed big-rig Tuesday afternoon on U.S. 101 in Redwood City died later in the day after being airlifted to the hospital, California Highway Patrol spokesman Officer Eric Parsons said Wednesday.
San Mateo County Coroner Robert Foucrault identified the woman Wednesday as Indira Gagloeva, 37.
Gagloeva was driving a sport utility vehicle northbound in the fast lane of the freeway near Woodside Road at about 1 p.m. when the driver of a big-rig on the southbound side lost control and crashed into, and partially over, the center divide, scattering concrete debris, according to the CHP.
Some of the concrete pieces went through Gagloeva's windshield, striking her in the head, according to Parsons. Gagloeva's 12-year-old daughter was also in the car and suffered minor injuries.
The big-rig burst into flames, closing the highway in both directions.
Gagloeva was airlifted to Stanford Medical Center. She was pronounced dead at about 4:30 p.m., according to the coroner's office.
The daughter was also hospitalized, but there was no immediate word Wednesday whether she had been released, Parsons said.
Both the truck driver and a passenger in the truck were uninjured and escaped before the truck caught fire.
Parsons said today that the CHP officer investigating the incident is still talking with witnesses to determine if there was any negligence on the part of the truck driver. With a fatality, vehicular manslaughter remains a possible charge, he said.
Most of the northbound lanes reopened more than an hour after the crash, while three out of the four southbound lanes were closed for longer. Nearly five hours after the accident, crews were able to remove the burnt wreckage of the truck.
—Bay City News Service
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