Accident on SR 67 Sends Two to Hospital

Serious-injury accident in Poway

Two people were hospitalized with serious injuries today following a two-collision accident in the North County caused by a distracted driver, authorities said.

The collisions occurred on state Route 67 about a half-mile south of Poway Road shortly after 7 p.m. Tuesday, said San Diego County sheriff’s Deputy Mark Karo.

A man driving a large passenger van northbound became distracted and drifted into southbound lanes, sideswiping a trailer-towing truck, Karo said, adding that when he swerved back into his lane, the van struck the right front end of a sedan headed south.

The driver of the sedan and a passenger were hospitalized with serious but not life-threatening injuries, Karo said. The van driver was taken to a hospital but released a short time later, he said.

Alcohol did not appear to have been a factor in the accident, Karo said. An investigation was under way.

State Route 67 was closed from Scripps Poway Parkway to Poway Road for about three hours after the accident.

Free gifts for military families

Parents of about 1,100 enlisted military families will “shop” today for free gifts donated to the San Diego Armed Services YMCA’s 26th annual SuperParent Holiday Shopping program.

More than 300 other families are on a waiting list, and they will get a chance to shop on Thursday—just how many participate depends on the amount of new donations made to the YMCA, located in the Murphy Canyon military housing complex.

“With our current donations, and the generous support of the Spiva Family Foundation, we are able to commit to serving 1,100 military families,” said Brittany Catton of the YMCA.

She said other major donors include The Rancho Santa Fe Foundation, the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club, Marine Toys for Tots and the San Diego Kiwanis Club.

The SuperParent program served more than 1,300 military families last year, according to Catton.

Long sentence expected in teen’s death

Sentencing is scheduled this afternoon for a man who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the beating death of a teenager on the Pala Indian Reservation in 2008. Thirty-three-year-old John Edward Maxcy is expected to be sentenced to 15 years to life in prison in the death of 18-year-old Devin Blackowl. A surveillance camera caught the beating on tape. The motive for the killing remains unclear.

-City News Service