Published: August 19, 2026
By: Yaghmai Law Firm, APC
(Hawthorne, CA) – A 38-year-old mother of two was killed in an early-morning wrong-way collision on the 405 Freeway in Hawthorne on July 21, and her brother was seriously injured, according to relatives who spoke publicly about the crash.
The woman was driving on the 405 Freeway when a vehicle traveling the wrong way struck her car, her family said. Police believe the other driver was under the influence, according to the family's account.
Her brother, who was riding in the passenger seat, survived and is still recovering. His injuries included a fractured hip, a ruptured spleen, and burns across his body, relatives said. The woman leaves behind two children, ages 13 and 5.
In the hours before the crash, the woman had helped a close friend prepare for a family funeral and had picked her brother up from his first day at a new job, her family said. Relatives have set up a fundraising account to help cover funeral costs and hospital expenses for both siblings.
Know Your Rights After a Crash
After a serious crash, California law gives injured people and families limited time to act. Evidence like vehicle data, camera footage, and witness memories fades quickly. A free, no-obligation case review can help you understand your options. Call or text (888) 800-6731, or start a free case review online. Asistencia en español disponible.
Analysis of the 405 Freeway Wrong-Way Collision
Investigators looking into a wrong-way freeway crash typically try to reconstruct how a vehicle came to be traveling against the flow of traffic and whether impairment played a role. Under California Vehicle Code section 21651, driving on a divided highway anywhere other than to the right of the dividing section is unlawful, and a willful violation that causes injury or death can be prosecuted as a felony or misdemeanor. Whether that framework applies here would depend entirely on evidence developed by law enforcement.
Where a driver is suspected of driving under the influence, prosecutors may also examine California Penal Code section 192(c), which addresses vehicular manslaughter arising from grossly negligent driving or the commission of an unlawful act. Any criminal determination is separate from a civil claim and rests with the authorities and the courts, not with this office.
In a civil context, California follows the general negligence principle in Civil Code section 1714(a), under which a person may be responsible for harm caused by a lack of ordinary care. Under Evidence Code section 669, a driver's violation of a safety statute – such as the wrong-way driving law – can create a presumption of negligence if the violation proximately caused injury of the kind the statute was designed to prevent and the injured person was in the protected class. When a death results, Code of Civil Procedure sections 377.60 and 377.30 govern who may bring a wrongful death claim and a survival action, and Civil Code section 3333 sets the broad measure of compensable losses. These statutes describe a general legal framework only; they do not establish what happened in this case.
What Families and Survivors Can Do
Families coping with a fatal freeway crash, and survivors recovering from serious injuries, can take a few practical steps while the investigation continues: request the official traffic collision report, keep medical records and bills documenting treatment, and preserve any available evidence about the vehicles and the scene. It helps to be aware of legal deadlines – California's personal injury statute of limitations under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 is generally two years – and drivers involved in injury or fatal crashes have their own reporting duties under Vehicle Code sections 16000 and 20008. Because wrong-way and suspected-DUI cases often involve overlapping criminal and civil proceedings and multiple insurers, a family may find it useful to speak with a qualified attorney about their rights and options. Were you, or someone you love, involved in this crash? A California car accident lawyer at Yaghmai Law Firm can explain your options and deal with the insurance companies for you. Call or text (888) 800-6731 or request a free case review.
About the Author
Houtan Yaghmai, Esq., President & Managing Attorney of Yaghmai Law Firm, APC. California State Bar No. 298487. Speaks English, French, and Persian. The firm represents personal injury clients throughout Southern California – consultations by phone, text, or video, no office visits required.
This post was assembled with AI assistance from publicly reported news sources cited below. All California Vehicle Code references were verified against leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Facts were re-checked via additional web searches before publication. This post is based on initial news reports and may be updated as new facts develop. Nothing in this article is legal advice. Yaghmai Law Firm, APC is not associated with the investigating agencies and does not represent any party named in this post unless explicitly stated.
Sources:
1. X_CA_LOCAL_NEWS – ABC7 Eyewitness News: A grieving family is speaking out after a 38-year-old mother of two was killed in a wrong-way crash on the 405 Freeway in Hawthorne. 💔 abc7ne.ws/5Ql2NK: https://abc7ne.ws/5Ql2NK
