San Jose police on Monday released new information about a deadly head-on crash in a residential neighborhood over the weekend.
The fiery, high-speed collision happened at about 2:35 p.m. Saturday in the area of Foxworthy and Jarvis avenues, according to police.
Citing a preliminary investigation, police said a man behind the wheel of a GMC Yukon was heading eastbound on Foxworthy Avenue, west of Jarvis Avenue, when he tried to pass a Subaru Forrester. While passing on the right, the Yukon hit the Forrester, causing the Yukon to veer into the opposite lane of traffic and crash head on with a Honda CRV.
The woman behind the wheel of the CRV, 74-year-old Ellen Orcutt, died at the scene. The Yukon driver was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and listed in critical condition, police said. The Forrester driver was not injured.
Orcutt’s brother, Marc Boyd, said she lived nearby and was driving to her bank to get money for her grandchildren when the crash occurred. Boyd said his sister had spent 35 years working for nonprofit groups helping families, homeless people and domestic violence survivors.
“She’s just a wonderful person,” Boyd said. “Just very giving, sweet, kind, generous.”
A security camera captured the moment when the Yukon slammed into the CRV, rolled over and burst into flames.
“I walked out and I saw literally the car on fire,” resident Israel Lomeli said. “I was panicking, obviously, and talking to the officer on the phone, telling them to hurry, they got to get here, car is upside down, two cars, someone is hurt.”
Residents estimate the Yukon driver was driving well over 60 mph in a 30 mph zone.
Neighbors have started a petition asking the city to install speed bumps or additional stop signs to slow drivers down.