Poway Woman, 19, Dies in Early Morning Crash; Alcohol Possible Factor

The woman who died in the early morning crash involving a Poway fire engine at the intersection of Poway and Midland Roads has been identified by the San Diego Medical Examiner as 19-year-old Evelyn Courtney.

Investigators say drugs or alcohol may have been a factor in the collision after finding an open alcoholic beverage container inside the vehicle in which Courtney was a passenger.

According to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, the collision took place at the intersection around 4 a.m. Thursday when the Poway Fire Department was responding to a medical aid call in the Garden Road area of Poway.

The Poway fire engine was traveling eastbound on Poway Road followed by a Poway Fire Department paramedic unit when the fire engine collided at an intersection with a Honda Accord traveling southbound on Midland Road, the department sad.

The driver of the Honda was 44-year-old San Diego resident Robbie Gillespie, who was transported to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries, authorities said. His passenger, Courtney, died at the scene. Authorities say she was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the accident.

Three Poway firefighter/paramedics were on the fire engine at the time of the collision and none were injured. The Sheriff's Department said the firefighters "immediately rendered aid" to both Gillespie and Courtney while the paramedic unit following the engine continued on to the original medical aid call.

According to authorities, the firefighters reported that their overhead emergency lights were activated at the time and that they were proceeding into the intersection on a green light.

Sheriff's Traffic Investigators from the Poway Station are investigating the collision and are asking anyone that might have witnessed the traffic collision to contact Corporal Todd Murphy at 858-513-2818. 

The City of Poway made a public statement Thursday morning, stating it "would like to express its prayers and deepest sympathy to those involved in this accident and to their families."

According to the Medical Examiner, Courtney lived with her parents at their home in Poway.