405 Crash Kills Mission Viejo Woman

A Mission Viejo woman died Sunday when her car was rear-ended on the south 405 Freeway in Irvine, the California Highway Patrol said Monday.

The crash occurred about 2:40 p.m. north of Laguna Canyon Road, said CHP Officer S. Dagenais. The fatally injured woman was identified by the Orange County coroner's office as Marilyn Russell, 65.

According to a preliminary investigation, a 54-year-old woman driving a 2001 Mercedes-Benz was headed south on the 405 at 60 mph when she glanced to the right at a vacant field, Dagenais said. When she looked forward, she noticed Russell's 1966 Ford, which was traveling at a significantly slower speed in front of her, Dagenais said.

The Mercedes driver "applied her brakes ... but was unable to avoid hitting the rear end" of the Ford, Dagenais said.

The impact caused the Ford to travel across the freeway and strike the center divider, Dagenais said.

-- City News Service