Man, 72, Fatally Injured in Car-Van Traffic Collision

VALENCIA —  A 72-year-old Valencia man was fatally injured in a traffic accident Friday morning.

Salvador Mendoza was pronounced dead at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, according to deputies at the Santa Clarita station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The accident occurred just before 11 a.m. on McBean Parkway at Arroyo Park Drive, according to authorities.

Mendoza was a passenger in a car driven by Armida Mendoza, 62, also of Valencia. They were headed south on McBean when Armida Mendoza, according to sheriff’s deputies, started to make a left turn on Arroyo Park Drive. Their car was struck by a 21-foot commercial van traveling north on McBean, driven by Efren Garcia, 28, of Los Angeles.

Salvador Mendoza suffered massive head and chest injuries, authorities said.

Armida Mendoza was also taken to Newhall Memorial hospital where she was treated for neck and chest pain.

According to sheriff’s deputies, a preliminary investigation revealed that Armida Mendoza failed to yield to oncoming traffic.

But it was not clear late Friday whether she had been cited for a violation.

The investigation closed McBean Parkway for more than two hours.