Two women died after a driver struck them in the Stanton area of Orange County.
The crash happened around 9 p.m. Monday on Cerritos Avenue near Magnolia Avenue, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
OCSD later identified the victims as a mother and daughter, Amadilia Noemy, 61, and Gabriela Amadilia Cruz, 34.
Surveillance footage from a nearby home captured the sound of screeching tires and a car horn moments before the collision.
When deputies arrived, they found the two women injured at the scene. A white BMW hit them while they were crossing Magnolia Avenue.
Emergency crews transported both women to a hospital, where they later died from their injuries.
Several of Cruz’s longtime friends and co-workers gathered at the site and created a makeshift memorial with flowers.
“She was a kind person. Good soul. Just recently got married. Just a sad, sad situation. We’re all going to miss her dearly, and I’m sure her family is grieving over this as well, more than us,” said friend and co-worker Phillip Sanchez.
Friends said Cruz worked in Fullerton and married her wife just a few months ago in February. The couple has a young son between the ages of 5 and 7. They also said Cruz was an Army veteran.
According to friends, Cruz’s mother had been visiting from Guatemala when the fatal crash occurred.
Investigators with the OCSD said the two women were not in a crosswalk when the collision happened. Neighbors said that is common in the area because no nearby crosswalk is available.
“I think it’s a risk that almost everybody in this neighborhood has taken for a very long time, and we get accidents about every eight months,” said area resident Preston, who witnessed the aftermath of the deadly crash.
The driver remained at the scene and has been cooperating with investigators. Authorities said they do not suspect DUI, and no arrests have been made.
The investigation remains ongoing.