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Student killed by car at school
73-year-old driver goes over a curb and strikes boy, 15, at Beckman High.
By CINDY CARCAMO and FERMIN LEAL
The Orange County Register
IRVINE – A 15-year-old student waiting to be picked up from school was killed Monday when a car crashed into him as he sat studying against a pole.
Arturo "Alex" Alvarez of Santa Ana died after Susan K. Oh, 73, drove into the sign pole before plowing into a wall at Beckman High School, officials said.
"There were so many kids around. It's fortunate only one person was killed," said a witness, Dave Beavers.
It's unknown what caused the crash, which took place at about 2:30 p.m., Irvine police Lt. Mike Hamel said. When officers arrived, they saw Oh's car against the building and an injured Alvarez. Students and school employees administered CPR to the sophomore, who was taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, where he died.
Oh, of Tustin, suffered an injured arm and was taken to Irvine Medical Center.
Hamel said that alcohol and drugs were not involved and that evidence suggests the crash was an accident. Investigators are reviewing the case and will decide whether to recommend criminal charges.
Police did not say why Oh was at the school.
Beavers, who had been waiting to pick up his daughter, said he saw Alvarez studying next to the pole seconds before he heard an engine roaring and tires screeching. He turned around to see Oh's Hyundai Elantra jump the curb, crush Alvarez against the pole, travel 10 feet and run into the wall.
Dozens of people stood in quiet shock for several seconds. Beavers said he called 911 while others administered CPR.
"It's pretty sobering to see this happen," Beavers said. "It makes you realize how fragile life is."
Mark Eliot, spokesman for Tustin Unified School District, said administrators and supervisors keep watch while parents pick up their children at the school, which opened in August. The school serves about 920 ninth- and 10th- grade students from Tustin, northwest Irvine and eastern Santa Ana.
"How can you prevent something like this? We make it as safe as possible to come to school and leave school," Eliot said.
A similar accident occurred March 12, 2002, in Anaheim when a car jumped the curb at Centralia Elementary School. Two girls, ages 6 and 7, were killed as they waited to be picked up. The driver told police that she mistakenly pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake. She served 120 days in jail for misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.
The Alvarez and Oh families could not be reached for comment.
Those who knew Alvarez described him as the quiet sort who kept his cool while others bickered on the soccer field.
Though soccer season hadn't begun, Alvarez was gearing up for the start of practice Nov. 13. A teammate, Ardi Zadeh, 15, said Alvarez could be seen running laps during P.E.
While he wasn't the best player on the team, Alvarez tried his hardest, Zadeh said. If another player stole the ball, Alvarez would give chase and relentlessly try to get it back.
Rebecca Gonzales picked up her daughter from school Monday and was shocked to hear about the death.
"It's one of those things that you always hear about on television and read in newspapers in other places, but you never really imagine it can happen here," she said. "It's awful to think this could happen to any kid anywhere."
