2 dead, 4 injured in 8-vehicle crash in Oxnard

OXNARD, Calif. - A multi-vehicle collision involving a driver suspected of running a red light while potentially impaired left two men dead and four others injured at a busy Oxnard intersection on Friday afternoon.

The chain-reaction crash involved eight vehicles and caused significant damage, bringing traffic on Victoria Avenue to a halt as emergency personnel responded to the scene.

What we know:

The collision happened just before 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25 at the intersection of Victoria and Doris avenues, according to the Oxnard Police Department. 

At the scene, emergency responders found a total of eight vehicles, with four suffering severe damage.

According to traffic investigators, 29-year-old David Mora of Santa Paula was driving a 2018 GMC Sierra pick-up northbound on Victoria Avenue when he allegedly ran a red light at Doris Avenue. His truck collided directly with a 1998 Toyota Avalon and a 2005 Honda Civic, both of which were traveling westbound through the intersection on a green light, officials said.

The extreme force of the impact forced the Toyota Avalon north into the center median, where it struck a Southern California Edison power pole. The pole dislodged at its base and fell onto the Avalon before the car rolled forward into a Chevy Volt sitting in the southbound left turn lane, police said.

At the same, the GMC Sierra and Honda Civic launched into the air, with the Civic rolling over the roof and side of a stopped Nissan Rogue. 

The truck and the Civic landed entangled on the median, striking a 2014 GMC Terrain, which was then pushed backward into a 2010 Ford Fusion and a 2025 Toyota RAV4, according to police. 

First responders found the drivers of the Toyota Avalon and Honda Civic trapped inside their wrecked vehicles. The drivers, two men aged 31 and 58, both from Oxnard, died at the scene. 

Four other individuals involved in the crash suffered minor injuries and were transported to local hospitals for medical treatment, while occupants of the remaining vehicles reported no injuries or minor complaints of pain.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not yet released the identities of the two victims who died in the collision.

While traffic investigators believe that speed and impairment by alcohol and/or drugs were contributing factors in the crash, toxicological and technical evaluations remain underway. 

Investigators have not announced any formal charges against David Mora at this time.

What's next:

The investigation is ongoing as officers gather evidence to determine the exact circumstances. 

All lanes of Victoria Avenue have since been cleared and reopened to traffic.

What you can do:

Members of the public who witnessed the crash or have any relevant information are urged to contact Traffic Investigator Officer Patrick Blanche at (805) 385-7750 or by email at patrick.blanche@oxnardpd.org. 

Anyone with general information can also reach the Oxnard Police Department main line at (805) 385-7600. 

For inquiries outside standard business hours, officials recommend sending an email with a callback request, while urgent field operation matters can be directed to Watch Commanders at (805) 385-7746 or (805) 385-7778.