Southern California

The driver of a car that crashed on the 215 Freeway in Murrieta early Monday, Jan. 16, was arrested after her three passengers died, the California Highway Patrol said.

Alexia Rodriguez, 21, of El Cajon, was arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter and felony driving under the influence of alcohol. Rodriguez was seriously burned in the single-vehicle crash and was hospitalized at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton.

The crash happened just before 4 a.m. on the southbound transition lane to the 15 Freeway during what the CHP described as moderate rain. The 2008 Dodge Charger that Rodriguez was driving went off the road and struck a metal pole, bursting into flames, the CHP said. A male and a female who Officer Mike Lassig said could be in their late teens or early 20s were ejected.

A third passenger, a 15-year-old girl, died inside the car. Rodriguez was able to get out of the car on her own.

The CHP asks that anyone with information on the crash call the Temecula office at 951-506-2000.

By Anish Bhattarai, Krutika Pathi and Sheikh Saaliq | Associated Press

POKHARA, Nepal — Search teams retrieved the flight data and cockpit voice recorders Monday of a passenger plane that plummeted into a gorge on approach to a new airport in the foothills of the Himalayas, officials said, as investigators looked for the cause of Nepal’s deadliest plane crash in 30 years.

At least 69 of the 72 people aboard were killed, and officials believe the three missing are also dead. Rescuers combed through the debris, scattered down a 984-foot-deep gorge, for them.

Many of the passengers on Sunday’s flight were returning home to Pokhara, though the city is also popular with tourists since it’s the gateway to the Annapurna Circuit hiking trail. On Monday evening, relatives and friends were still gathered outside a local hospital, some shouting at officials to speed up the post mortems so they could hold funerals for their loved ones. Later, some did receive the bodies of relatives.

It’s still not clear what caused the crash, which took place less than a minute’s flight from the airport on a mild day with little wind.

In footage taken by a passenger out of a window as the plane came in for a landing, buildings, roads and greenery are visible below. The video, by Sonu Jaiswal and verified by The Associated Press, then shows a violent jolt and a series of jerky images accompanied by yelling before flames fill the screen.

Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority said the aircraft last made contact with the airport, which began operations only two weeks ago, from near Seti Gorge. A witness who recorded footage of the plane’s descent said it looked like a normal landing until the plane suddenly veered to the left.

“I saw that, and I was shocked,” said Diwas Bohora. “I thought that today everything will be finished here after it crashes, I will also be dead.”

After it crashed, red flames erupted and the ground shook violently, Bohora said. “Seeing that scene, I was scared,” he added.

Amit Singh, an experienced pilot and founder of India’s Safety Matters Foundation, said Bohora’s video appears to show a stall, a situation in which a plane loses lift, especially likely at low airspeeds.

The twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft, operated by Nepal’s Yeti Airlines, was completing the 27-minute flight from the capital, Kathmandu, to Pokhara, 125 miles west. It was carrying 68 passengers, including 15 foreign nationals, as well as four crew members, Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement. The foreigners included five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans, and one each from Ireland, Australia, Argentina and France.

Jagannath Niraula, a spokesman for the authority, said the flight recorders will be handed over to investigators. Pemba Sherpa, spokesperson for Yeti Airlines, confirmed that both the flight data and the cockpit voice recorders were found.

Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains including Mount Everest. A pilot who routinely flies an ATR 72-500 plane from India to Nepal said the region’s topography, with its mountain peaks and narrow valleys, raises the risk of accidents and sometimes requires pilots to fly by sight rather than relying on instruments.

The pilot, who works for a private Indian airline and insisted on anonymity due to company policy, called the ATR 72-500 an “unforgiving aircraft” if the pilot isn’t highly skilled and familiar with the region’s terrain and wind speeds.

Hundreds of people have gathered outside the Pokhara Academy of Health and Science, Western Hospital, where the bodies are being kept.

Bimala Bhenderi said was planning to meet her friend, Tribhuban Paudel, on Tuesday when she heard that his flight had crashed. “I’m so sad, I can’t believe it still,” she said in tears.

Bikash Jaiswal said he could only identify his wife’s brother only by the ring he wore, and that he had yet to tell his wife, who just gave birth to their daughter. Sanjay Jaiswal, who worked as a marketing agent for a private pharmaceutical company in Kathmandu, was flying to Pokhara for the birth. More than 24 hours after the crash, his body lay in the same hospital where his niece was born.

“He was a hardworking person, and now there’s no one left in his family to earn,” Bikash said.

Park Dae-seong, a minister and spokesperson of the Won Buddhist order, confirmed on Monday the deaths of Arun Paudel and his daughter, Prasiddi.

Arun Paudel, 47, had worked as a police officer in Nepal before being introduced into the religion by his brother. He studied the religion for years at a South Korean university before becoming a minister in 2009. He then returned to Nepal and established a school in the Lumbini province in 2013 where children received English, Korean and information technology instruction. Park said Paudel was returning to Nepal for work related to the school, called the Vishow Ekata Academy.

The Civil Aviation Authority said that 41 people have been identified. Gyan Khadka, a police spokesperson in the district, said the bodies would be handed over to family after officials finish post mortem reports.

The type of plane involved, the ATR 72, has been used by airlines around the world for short regional flights since the late 1980s. In Taiwan, two accidents involving ATR 72-500 and ATR 72-600 aircrafts in 2014 and 2015 led to the planes being grounded for a period.

ATR identified the plane involved in Sunday’s crash as an ATR 72-500 in a tweet. According to plane tracking data from flightradar24.com, the aircraft was 15 years old and “equipped with an old transponder with unreliable data.” It was previously flown by India’s Kingfisher Airlines and Thailand’s Nok Air before Yeti took it over in 2019, according to records on Airfleets.net. ATR has not responded to a request for comment.

According to the Safety Matters Foundation’s data, there have been 42 fatal plane crashes in Nepal since 1946.

Sunday’s crash is the country’s deadliest since 1992, when all 167 people aboard a Pakistan International Airlines plane were killed when it plowed into a hill as it tried to land in Kathmandu.

The European Union has banned airlines from Nepal from flying into the 27-nation bloc since 2013, citing weak safety standards. In 2017, the International Civil Aviation Organization cited improvements in Nepal’s aviation sector, but the EU continues to demand administrative reforms.

Associated Press journalists Shonal Ganguly in New Delhi, David Rising and Adam Schreck in Bangkok, Elise Morton in London, and Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed reporting.

By Anish Bhattarai, Krutika Pathi and Sheikh Saaliq | Associated Press

POKHARA, Nepal — Search teams retrieved the flight data and cockpit voice recorders Monday of a passenger plane that plummeted into a gorge on approach to a new airport in the foothills of the Himalayas, officials said, as investigators looked for the cause of Nepal’s deadliest plane crash in 30 years.

At least 69 of the 72 people aboard were killed, and officials believe the three missing are also dead. Rescuers combed through the debris, scattered down a 984-foot-deep gorge, for them.

Many of the passengers on Sunday’s flight were returning home to Pokhara, though the city is also popular with tourists since it’s the gateway to the Annapurna Circuit hiking trail. On Monday evening, relatives and friends were still gathered outside a local hospital, some shouting at officials to speed up the post mortems so they could hold funerals for their loved ones. Later, some did receive the bodies of relatives.

It’s still not clear what caused the crash, which took place less than a minute’s flight from the airport on a mild day with little wind.

In footage taken by a passenger out of a window as the plane came in for a landing, buildings, roads and greenery are visible below. The video, by Sonu Jaiswal and verified by The Associated Press, then shows a violent jolt and a series of jerky images accompanied by yelling before flames fill the screen.

Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority said the aircraft last made contact with the airport, which began operations only two weeks ago, from near Seti Gorge. A witness who recorded footage of the plane’s descent said it looked like a normal landing until the plane suddenly veered to the left.

“I saw that, and I was shocked,” said Diwas Bohora. “I thought that today everything will be finished here after it crashes, I will also be dead.”

After it crashed, red flames erupted and the ground shook violently, Bohora said. “Seeing that scene, I was scared,” he added.

Amit Singh, an experienced pilot and founder of India’s Safety Matters Foundation, said Bohora’s video appears to show a stall, a situation in which a plane loses lift, especially likely at low airspeeds.

The twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft, operated by Nepal’s Yeti Airlines, was completing the 27-minute flight from the capital, Kathmandu, to Pokhara, 125 miles west. It was carrying 68 passengers, including 15 foreign nationals, as well as four crew members, Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement. The foreigners included five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans, and one each from Ireland, Australia, Argentina and France.

Jagannath Niraula, a spokesman for the authority, said the flight recorders will be handed over to investigators. Pemba Sherpa, spokesperson for Yeti Airlines, confirmed that both the flight data and the cockpit voice recorders were found.

Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains including Mount Everest. A pilot who routinely flies an ATR 72-500 plane from India to Nepal said the region’s topography, with its mountain peaks and narrow valleys, raises the risk of accidents and sometimes requires pilots to fly by sight rather than relying on instruments.

The pilot, who works for a private Indian airline and insisted on anonymity due to company policy, called the ATR 72-500 an “unforgiving aircraft” if the pilot isn’t highly skilled and familiar with the region’s terrain and wind speeds.

Hundreds of people have gathered outside the Pokhara Academy of Health and Science, Western Hospital, where the bodies are being kept.

Bimala Bhenderi said was planning to meet her friend, Tribhuban Paudel, on Tuesday when she heard that his flight had crashed. “I’m so sad, I can’t believe it still,” she said in tears.

Bikash Jaiswal said he could only identify his wife’s brother only by the ring he wore, and that he had yet to tell his wife, who just gave birth to their daughter. Sanjay Jaiswal, who worked as a marketing agent for a private pharmaceutical company in Kathmandu, was flying to Pokhara for the birth. More than 24 hours after the crash, his body lay in the same hospital where his niece was born.

“He was a hardworking person, and now there’s no one left in his family to earn,” Bikash said.

Park Dae-seong, a minister and spokesperson of the Won Buddhist order, confirmed on Monday the deaths of Arun Paudel and his daughter, Prasiddi.

Arun Paudel, 47, had worked as a police officer in Nepal before being introduced into the religion by his brother. He studied the religion for years at a South Korean university before becoming a minister in 2009. He then returned to Nepal and established a school in the Lumbini province in 2013 where children received English, Korean and information technology instruction. Park said Paudel was returning to Nepal for work related to the school, called the Vishow Ekata Academy.

The Civil Aviation Authority said that 41 people have been identified. Gyan Khadka, a police spokesperson in the district, said the bodies would be handed over to family after officials finish post mortem reports.

The type of plane involved, the ATR 72, has been used by airlines around the world for short regional flights since the late 1980s. In Taiwan, two accidents involving ATR 72-500 and ATR 72-600 aircrafts in 2014 and 2015 led to the planes being grounded for a period.

ATR identified the plane involved in Sunday’s crash as an ATR 72-500 in a tweet. According to plane tracking data from flightradar24.com, the aircraft was 15 years old and “equipped with an old transponder with unreliable data.” It was previously flown by India’s Kingfisher Airlines and Thailand’s Nok Air before Yeti took it over in 2019, according to records on Airfleets.net. ATR has not responded to a request for comment.

According to the Safety Matters Foundation’s data, there have been 42 fatal plane crashes in Nepal since 1946.

Sunday’s crash is the country’s deadliest since 1992, when all 167 people aboard a Pakistan International Airlines plane were killed when it plowed into a hill as it tried to land in Kathmandu.

The European Union has banned airlines from Nepal from flying into the 27-nation bloc since 2013, citing weak safety standards. In 2017, the International Civil Aviation Organization cited improvements in Nepal’s aviation sector, but the EU continues to demand administrative reforms.

Associated Press journalists Shonal Ganguly in New Delhi, David Rising and Adam Schreck in Bangkok, Elise Morton in London, and Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed reporting.

An early morning wrong-way crash on the 210 Freeway in Fontana left three people dead and injured another three passengers Saturday, Jan. 14, authorities said.

The crash occurred around 6:30 a.m. Saturday near Citrus Avenue when a 23-year-old Fontana man driving a 2012 Ford collided with a 2001 Lexus driven by a 43-year-old man from Highland, according to the California Highway Patrol. The Ford had been traveling the wrong way — moving eastbound in the westbound lanes, the CHP said— when it hit the Lexus.

Both drivers died at the scene; a 16-year-old passenger from the Lexus died at a local hospital. The Lexus had another three passengers, including a 42-year-old woman, a 5-year-old girl, and a 3-year-old boy, who sustained “major injuries” and received medical care, CHP said.

The victims’ names were not immediately available.

It was not immediately clear whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash. The collision remains under investigation and authorities urged anyone with information to contact CHP Rancho Cucamonga office at 909-980-3994.

An early morning wrong-way crash on the 210 Freeway in Fontana left three people dead and injured another three passengers Saturday, Jan. 14, authorities said.

The crash occurred around 6:30 a.m. Saturday near Citrus Avenue when a 23-year-old Fontana man driving a 2012 Ford collided with a 2001 Lexus driven by a 43-year-old man from Highland, according to the California Highway Patrol. The Ford had been traveling the wrong way — moving eastbound in the westbound lanes, the CHP said— when it hit the Lexus.

Both drivers died at the scene; a 16-year-old passenger from the Lexus died at a local hospital. The Lexus had another three passengers, including a 42-year-old woman, a 5-year-old girl, and a 3-year-old boy, who sustained “major injuries” and received medical care, CHP said.

The victims’ names were not immediately available.

It was not immediately clear whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash. The collision remains under investigation and authorities urged anyone with information to contact CHP Rancho Cucamonga office at 909-980-3994.

IRVINE — The best news concerning the Ducks took place away from the rink as forward Justin Kirkland was released from the hospital Monday evening.

The 26-year-old forward was taken to UCI Health after being involved in a car accident Sunday in Orange County en route to the Ducks’ game against the Boston Bruins at Honda Center. The Ducks said he had full mobility and has been communicating with family and teammates.

“He’s been released. He’s in good spirits,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said Tuesday. “Obviously, the timing of that the other night definitely put a good scare into all of us. And at the same time, reinforced a lot of things that we speak of here – not about hockey – being grateful to try and win the day with our relationships at home. You just never know when you could find yourself in a terrible, terrible situation.”

Jayson Megna, one of Kirkland’s linemates, said he spoke to Kirkland.

“My goodness – so scary,” Megna said. “It’s the first time in my career that someone on the way to the rink has gotten into a car accident. It sounds like he is doing a lot better. I’m definitely thinking about him and hoping for the best for him.”

The accident occurred about 2:30 p.m. on Sunday and involved two vehicles, Kirkland’s truck and a Toyota Highlander SUV, according to officers.

Kirkland’s black GMC Sierra pickup was stopped in the left lane of the transition road from the northbound 55 Freeway to the northbound 5 Freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol Officer Ken Yoon, who spoke to the two investigating officers.

The officers said a motorist saw Kirkland’s truck and thought he may be having mechanical issues, so the motorist stopped behind Kirkland’s truck and put on their hazard lights. When the motorist got out and attempted to talk to Kirkland, the truck rapidly accelerated and sideswiped the SUV in the right lane, causing the SUV to spin out and wound up facing the wrong direction in the left lane of the transition road.

Kirkland’s truck continued to accelerate down the transition road, onto the 5 Freeway. The truck then cut across all the lanes to the left before hitting the center median. His injuries were characterized as moderate, according to the officers.

The CHP is still investigating whether Kirkland’s truck may have had mechanical issues.

No practice for Zegras

Trevor Zegras, the Ducks’ second-leading scorer, was not at practice Tuesday because of an illness. Zegras is one of seven Ducks to have played in all 41 games this season. It was unclear if it was the same issue that kept defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk out of the lineup Friday against the San Jose Sharks.

“It sounds very similar so we’ll see where that goes,” Eakins said. “We’ll just have to re-evaluate it in the morning and see if he is available or not.”

Jones returns

Forward Max Jones participated in his first full practice since his back seized up on him during pregame warmups Dec. 13 in Toronto, which led to a last-minute scratch from the lineup.

“He hasn’t played in a long time here,” Eakins said. “The biggest thing for him will be the rhythm of the game, trying not to do too much. We’ll try to control his ice time the best we can but (his) game.”

Long stretches out of the lineup are not new for Jones. He missed almost all of last season with a torn chest muscle.

“Unfortunately he has great experience in this,” Eakins said. “I know he’s excited to get back and we’re excited to have him back. Now he’s got to get to his game as fast as possible.”

EDMONTON AT DUCKS

When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Honda Center

TV: Bally Sports SoCal

IRVINE — The best news concerning the Ducks took place away from the rink as forward Justin Kirkland was released from the hospital Monday evening.

The 26-year-old forward was taken to UCI Health after being involved in a car accident Sunday in Orange County en route to the Ducks’ game against the Boston Bruins at Honda Center. The Ducks said he had full mobility and has been communicating with family and teammates.

“He’s been released. He’s in good spirits,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said Tuesday. “Obviously, the timing of that the other night definitely put a good scare into all of us. And at the same time, reinforced a lot of things that we speak of here – not about hockey – being grateful to try and win the day with our relationships at home. You just never know when you could find yourself in a terrible, terrible situation.”

Jayson Megna, one of Kirkland’s linemates, said he spoke to Kirkland.

“My goodness – so scary,” Megna said. “It’s the first time in my career that someone on the way to the rink has gotten into a car accident. It sounds like he is doing a lot better. I’m definitely thinking about him and hoping for the best for him.”

The accident occurred about 2:30 p.m. on Sunday and involved two vehicles, Kirkland’s truck and a Toyota Highlander SUV, according to officers.

Kirkland’s black GMC Sierra pickup was stopped in the left lane of the transition road from the northbound 55 Freeway to the northbound 5 Freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol Officer Ken Yoon, who spoke to the two investigating officers.

The officers said a motorist saw Kirkland’s truck and thought he may be having mechanical issues, so the motorist stopped behind Kirkland’s truck and put on their hazard lights. When the motorist got out and attempted to talk to Kirkland, the truck rapidly accelerated and sideswiped the SUV in the right lane, causing the SUV to spin out and wound up facing the wrong direction in the left lane of the transition road.

Kirkland’s truck continued to accelerate down the transition road, onto the 5 Freeway. The truck then cut across all the lanes to the left before hitting the center median. His injuries were characterized as moderate, according to the officers.

The CHP is still investigating whether Kirkland’s truck may have had mechanical issues.

No practice for Zegras

Trevor Zegras, the Ducks’ second-leading scorer, was not at practice Tuesday because of an illness. Zegras is one of seven Ducks to have played in all 41 games this season. It was unclear if it was the same issue that kept defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk out of the lineup Friday against the San Jose Sharks.

“It sounds very similar so we’ll see where that goes,” Eakins said. “We’ll just have to re-evaluate it in the morning and see if he is available or not.”

Jones returns

Forward Max Jones participated in his first full practice since his back seized up on him during pregame warmups Dec. 13 in Toronto, which led to a last-minute scratch from the lineup.

“He hasn’t played in a long time here,” Eakins said. “The biggest thing for him will be the rhythm of the game, trying not to do too much. We’ll try to control his ice time the best we can but (his) game.”

Long stretches out of the lineup are not new for Jones. He missed almost all of last season with a torn chest muscle.

“Unfortunately he has great experience in this,” Eakins said. “I know he’s excited to get back and we’re excited to have him back. Now he’s got to get to his game as fast as possible.”

EDMONTON AT DUCKS

When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Honda Center

TV: Bally Sports SoCal

Ducks forward Justin Kirkland was hospitalized after a car accident in Orange County on Sunday on his way to their game against the Boston Bruins and remains under evaluation.

He has full mobility and has been communicating with family and teammates, according to the Ducks. The expectation is that Kirkland could be released from UCI Health in the next 24 to 48 hours, or even as early as Monday night.

“We are thankful for the quick care and treatment Justin received from first responders and medical staff at UCI Health,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement on Monday. “Justin is in great spirits, and we hope he will be released shortly.”

Kirkland, 26, was signed by the Ducks in July on a one-year, two-way contract after having spent the past three seasons playing for the Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate in Stockton. He was called up from the Ducks’ AHL team in San Diego on Dec. 20, and made his NHL debut that night against the Kings. Kirkland has appeared in seven games in fourth-line duty with the Ducks, and previously had 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 19 games with the Gulls.  His season high in time on ice with the Ducks was 8 minutes 38 seconds was on Dec. 21 against Minnesota.

Ducks forward Justin Kirkland was hospitalized after a car accident in Orange County on Sunday on his way to their game against the Boston Bruins and remains under evaluation.

He has full mobility and has been communicating with family and teammates, according to the Ducks. The expectation is that Kirkland could be released from UCI Health in the next 24 to 48 hours, or even as early as Monday night.

“We are thankful for the quick care and treatment Justin received from first responders and medical staff at UCI Health,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement on Monday. “Justin is in great spirits, and we hope he will be released shortly.”

Kirkland, 26, was signed by the Ducks in July on a one-year, two-way contract after having spent the past three seasons playing for the Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate in Stockton. He was called up from the Ducks’ AHL team in San Diego on Dec. 20, and made his NHL debut that night against the Kings. Kirkland has appeared in seven games in fourth-line duty with the Ducks, and previously had 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 19 games with the Gulls.  His season high in time on ice with the Ducks was 8 minutes 38 seconds was on Dec. 21 against Minnesota.