Newport Beach woman dies in traffic collision in Huntington Beach

A Newport Beach woman died Friday, succumbing to her injuries from a traffic collision that occurred in Huntington Beach on Monday.

Huntington Beach police said in a statement that they responded to reports of an accident on Memorial Day at 5:58 p.m. in the southbound lanes of Beach Boulevard, just north of Liberty Drive. Officers located the victim — Chanel Garcia, 26 — in the roadway.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the driver of a 2008 white Chevrolet Tahoe — Christopher Johnstone, 26 — failed to yield when Garcia slowed for a traffic signal and collided with the rear of her motorcycle.

Garcia was later transported to a local trauma center in critical condition and was pronounced dead on Friday.

Officers said that Johnstone remained on the scene after the collision and cooperated with police.

Johnstone is charged with one felony count of driving under the influence of drugs, causing injury, one misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance, and one misdemeanor count of destroying, erasing or concealing evidence.

He also was charged with a potential sentencing enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges on Wednesday and is currently out on a bond of $60,000, according to court records.

Johnstone will appear at the West Justice Center in Westminster for a pretrial mandatory settlement conference on June 15.

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