Marietta Firefighter Killed In California Car Crash; DUI Suspect Held

MARIETTA, GA -- A Marietta firefighter was killed and two others injured in a multi-vehicle crash Monday night in California that was purportedly caused by a suspected drunken driver, officials said.

The Marietta Fire Department identified the deceased as 23-year-old Ron C. Herens of Powder Springs. Herens was with a group of firefighters on vacation in Southern California.

"We're just completely broken-hearted," Jackie Gibbs, Marietta's fire chief, said in a statement. Here is Gibbs' complete statement:

"It is with great sadness that I report the death of Marietta firefighter Ron C. Herens. Ron tragically died in a car crash in Los Angles, California while on vacation with four other firefighters from Marietta Fire Department. Ron was a passenger in a car with two fellow firefighters when their car was struck by a DUI driver. The other two firefighters, Dillon Guest and Doug Blanchard were transported by ambulance to UCLA Medical Center with non-life threating injuries. Funeral arrangements are pending."

Read more at Patch: Georgia firefighter killed in multi-vehicle crash

The three-vehicle crash occurred around 10 p.m. at an intersection of Ocean Avenue and Washington Boulevard near the border of Venice and Marina del Rey.

Read more: Funeral plans announced for Marietta fireman killed in California crash

Herens was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene, Lt. Joseph Sanchez of the Los Angeles Police Department's Pacific Division told local media.

The other two firefighters were taken to area hospitals, Sanchez told local media. One of the firemen was hospitalized with a possibly broken collarbone and hip; the other had cuts and bruises in the crash.

The driver who hit the firefighters' vehicle was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated, according to NBC LA. Witnesses told reporters on the scene that the driver was going up to 100 miles an hour when he plowed through a red light and smashed into the firefighters' vehicle.

Two people in a third car were not harmed, Sanchez said.

The Marietta Fire Department uploaded a black ban -- a symbol of mourning -- on its social media page Tuesday morning in remembrance of Herens.

A police escort was requested to take Herens' body to the coroner's office, the TV station reports.

Image via Marietta PD / Facebook