A woman was in custody today for allegedly driving drunk and injuring around a dozen pedestrians, three fatally, as they were leaving a Roman Catholic church in Redondo Beach, police said.
Margo Bronstein, 56, of Redondo Beach was booked on suspicion of felony vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, according to Redondo Beach police. She was held on $300,000 bail and was scheduled to appear in court in Torrance on Friday, police said.
The pedestrians were struck by a white Saturn in a pedestrian crosswalk near the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Vincent Street as they left a church Christmas concert around 8 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.
Killed were Mary Wilson, 81, Saeko Matsumura, 87, and Martha Gaza, 36, all of Torrance, police said.
Redondo Beach police Lt. Joe Hoffman told a news videographer at the scene that Bronstein was driving north on PCH when she ran a red light and struck the victims as they crossed PCH.
After striking the victims, the driver continued northbound, eventually colliding head-on with another vehicle, Hoffman said. For a time, the Saturn dragged one of the victims, police said.
Thirteen people were injured, including the suspect, who suffered a minor injury; and the other motorist, whose condition was not immediately known. Among the injured were eight adults and five children. Two victims remain in critical condition this morning: an adult with a head injury and a leg fracture; and a child with head trauma and a bruised lung, police said.
“The community of St. James Catholic School and Parish in Redondo Beach, and the entire Archdiocese of Los Angeles, ask everyone to join them in prayer during this time of tragedy and grief,” said a statement issued by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Anyone with more information was urged to call police.
