Pregnant woman killed in freeway crash

A woman who was six months pregnant died at a local hospital after her car veered off an onramp to the Ventura (134) Freeway Sunday afternoon, officials said. Her unborn child also died, they said.

California Highway Patrol Sgt. Chris Powell said the woman, whose name had not been released Monday afternoon pending notification of her family, was driving on the westbound 134 Freeway onramp at Victory Boulevard when her car, a light blue Mazda, veered to the right and collided with a tree.

The woman was approximately 30 years old, Powell said.

“The vehicle struck a tree and (there) was major intrusion of the tree into the driver’s compartment,” Powell said.

The woman was taken to Los Angeles County USC-Medical Center, where she died from her injuries at about 6:15 p.m. Sunday, Powell said.

Lance Thomson, a Glendale resident, said he was on the freeway when he saw the woman’s Mazda veer off to the right and hit the tree.

“I made the 911 call at about four o’clock,” Thomson said.

“I was taking my dog to the dog park in Sherman Oaks and I saw dirt flying up and I knew something happened,” Thomson, 50, said.

The woman was not conscious, but was breathing when he pulled over to render aid, he said.

“I had her hand in my hand and I asked her to squeeze my hand — and nothing,” Thomson said, adding that the car was “literally wrapped around a tree.”

Glendale firefighters struggled to get the door off the car to get to the driver, he said.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation. There is no indication that alcohol or any other drugs were a factor, Powell said.