Officials ID 2 of 3 Killed in 101 Crash

A Ukiah mother and her 1-year-old daughter died in a late Thursday morning on U.S. Highway 101 in Mendocino County just north of the Sonoma County line, a
Mendocino County coroner's lieutenant said today.

Coroner's Lt. Greg Van Patten identified the victims as 35-year-old Mireya Ayala, the driver of the Honda, and her daughter Karen Ayala.

A male passenger in the Honda also was killed but his next of kin have not been notified, Van Patten said. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.

A female child in the Honda suffered major injuries and was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Toxicology tests on Mireya Ayala are pending, Van Patten said.

Ayala was driving the Honda south on Highway 101 just south of Comminsky Station Road around 11:45 a.m. when she lost control of the car and crossed the southbound lanes and the asphalt center divider, CHP officials said.

The car went directly into the path of the northbound Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Tennile Reyes, of Cloverdale, and the front of the Tahoe struck the driver's side of the Honda, according to the CHP.

Reyes, her daughter Silvia Marie Reyes, 4, and her 8-year-old son John Reyes suffered moderate injuries, CHP officials said.

Reyes and her daughter were taken to Ukiah Valley Medical Center. Hospital officials said today that they were no longer patients there.

John Reyes was taken to Oakland Children's Hospital and Research Center in Oakland. His condition was not immediately available.

By Bay City News Service