A FILIPINO-AMERICAN family of four and their friend were killed on Saturday night, February 16, in a deadly vehicle crash in Delano, California.
The victims were 7-month-old infant Jarl Joseph Laguta; 5-year-old Jalson Laguta; Arlene Osarin Laguta, 30; Jalson Rubang Laguta, 46; and their family friend Danilo Aquino Sanidad, 60. All were residents of Delano and were pronounced dead at the scene.
According to California Highway Patrol, Jalson Rubang Laguta was driving a 2004 Mitsubishi SUV northbound in the third lane on Highway 99 at approximately 70 mph. The SUV then swerved off the road for an unknown reason, hit a tree, and caught on fire.
Local KGET News of Kern County reported that the victims—members of the Jehovah’s Witness faith—were returning home to Delano from church.
“We tragically lost the Laguta family in a terrible car accident. Jalson, Arlene, Caleb, and Joseph were a beautiful family who loved Jehovah and served him faithfully until their last day,” reads a GoFundMe page set up to raise money for the funerals of all the victims. “They were loved by their family and congregation and were considered very close friends to all.”
(Photo courtesy of the California Highway Patrol)
“Though it hurts us all now, it is comforting to know that they died faithful to Jehovah God and they are now safe in His memory,” the GoFundMe page continued. “We long for the day when we will be reunited with our dear friends the Lagutas when they return to life in the beautiful paradise Jehovah has promised.”
As of press time, over $2,550 has been raised of the $30,000 goal.
Bill proposes no speed limit on Highway 99
California state Senator John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa) recently introduced a bill that would make the state’s Highway 99 and I-5 among the world’s few highways without a speed limit.
Senate Bill 319 would add two lanes each to both the north- and south-bound lanes of the CA I-5 and Highway 99. The bill reasons that “traffic congestion increases the emissions of greenhouse gases as it causes automobiles to idle longer while on roadways.”
Funding would come from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a funding source for state programs designed to decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
But critics say that the opposite would happen—that emissions would actually increase.
“Emission goes up at high speeds; this would encourage people to drive cars really fast on our highway, and that would increase emissions coming from transportation… the only sector where emissions are increasing in California,” Bill Magavern, a spokesperson for the Coalition for Clean Air, told SFGate.
More concern for the introduced bill comes from a safety perspective. Many argue that having no speed limit would mean more accidents on the already accident-prone Highway 99.
A recent study by information pulling source Value Penguin found Highway 99 to be the most dangerous highway in the whole United States. The study found that despite it being a relatively shorter highway compared to the others that topped the list, it had the most fatal accidents per 100 miles.
“The state route which cuts up the center of California had a total of 264 fatal accidents between the years 2011 and 2015,” said the study.
But Moorlach believes that the fast lanes would make the highways safer, and would provide a shorter alternative to riding a train in getting to San Francisco.
Referring to Germany’s famous speed-limit-free Autobahn, Moorlach told local news station CBS13, “If you look at what’s happening Germany, the freeway accidents on the Autobahn are a lot less than what’s happening on our roads!”
“You’re burning the fuel efficiently, as opposed to just sitting in slow traffic waiting for one truck to pass another truck for 20 minutes,” he added.
Anyone with information on this accident is asked to contact the California Highway Patrol in Bakersfield at (661) 396-6600. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress)
