2 Die in Crash at Meadow Valley and Spring Valley in Irvine; Jack Varganagl Arrested
Irvine, California (July 18, 2022) – Speed and drugs are suspected of having contributed to a fiery Irvine car crash that left two people dead Monday evening, according to police.
Police arrested Jack Varganagl, 20, of Irvine, in connection to the collision.
At around 8 p.m., authorities in Irvine were alerted about a crash at Meadow Valley and Spring Valley. An emergency team was immediately dispatched to the area.
At the scene, the responders found a Mini Cooper and a Volkswagen Golf involved in the collision. The Cooper burst into flames after the impact with the driver and a passenger still inside.
Double Fatal Crash at Meadow Valley and Spring Valley in Irvine
The responders pronounced the two occupants of the Cooper dead on arrival. The victims were not immediately identified.
Varganagl, who was driving the Golf, was taken to a local hospital with unspecified injuries. He was also arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, according to police.
Police said they are investigating speed and drugs as possible contributors to the accident.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Detective Roberto Solis at rsolis@cityofirvine.org or call 949-724-7024.
Crash Fatalities in California Went Up in 2021, Early Federal Estimates Show
Newly released estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that fatalities caused by traffic crashes on U.S. freeways reached a 16-year high in 2021. The crash deaths also increased in almost every state, including California, according to NHTSA.
According to the Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities in 2021 report released by NHTSA, about 42,915 people were killed in traffic collisions in 2021 in the US. This shows a 10.5% increase from the 38,828 fatalities reported in 2020.
NHTSA says the projection is the highest number of traffic deaths since 2005 as well as the largest percentage rise in the history of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
In California, 4,258 people died in traffic collisions in 2021 – a 10.7% increase from 2020's 3,847, as per the NHTSA report titled – “Crash Stats: Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities in 2021.”
According to the traffic deaths estimates, in the two-state region that includes Arizona and California, crash fatalities in 2021 are projected to go up by 10% over the previous year.
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