Plasencia family members

A fundraiser is being held for members of the Plasencia family who were involved in a collision on the 210 Freeway in Fontana on Jan. 14. (Contributed photo by GoFundMe)

Three members of a Highland family, including a 3-year-old boy, have died and two others were injured as a result of a wrong-way collision on the Route 210 Freeway in Fontana on Jan. 14.

Jose Plasencia, 43, and his 16-year-old daughter, Mia, were killed in the crash on that day.

Jose’s son Ivan, 3, was hospitalized with major injuries and was later pronounced deceased on Jan. 19, according to a message on a GoFundMe page.

Jose’s wife Angelica, 42, has had two surgeries and is expected to make a full recovery, said her cousin, Alvina White, in the message.

Another daughter, Bianca, 5, suffered a broken leg and is going to be fine but will need time to heal from her injuries, White said.

Jose Plasencia and his family members were in a 2001 Lexus heading westbound on the freeway at about 6:34 a.m. when a 23-year-old Fontana man drove his 2012 Ford eastbound in the westbound lanes and crashed head-on into them near the Citrus Avenue exit, according to the California Highway Patrol. The Fontana man also died in the collision.

“The magnitude of this loss cannot be understated. This is a completely unexpected tragedy. As the Plasencia family picks up the pieces they will need to pay for funeral expenses, mortgage and bills,” White said. “Anything donated will be greatly appreciated and will go a long way.”

To view the GoFundMe page, visit: https://gf.me/v/c/6bs/plasencia-family

(1) comment

Hex2023nfx

I was in head on wrong way driver accident last August and I am lucky to be alive let alone able to type and speak on the horrible experience that is caused by drivers mistakenly going the wrong way ...on a freeway especially! Wake up drivers! If your drinking , if you're easily confused , distracted or whatever makes you get on going the wrong way....fix it and/or get full coverage insurance NOT minimal. There's no chance to even react at the speeds normally used on freeways. . Think about it...a wrong way driver going 70 mph as if they are driving normally and then some poor person gets to be the one to stop em with their car ? These things aren't ever done on purpose, and everyone usually dies so there is nothing left to say. But I didn't die. I didn't even spend night in hospital even though because of the sheer sight of my car , the ER was trying to cut my clothes off with scissors despite me resisting ...because I was going home i was determined...I had my seat belt on so I was only half lucky . Insurance for the drunk wrong way driver in my crash was minimal. Now I'm wondering if I shoukd go directly to this guy and ask him for money to cover damages his insurance cannot ..injuries are becoming apparent , I didn't get away without trauma after all. The driver hasn't jad charges filed even tho he was supposedly arrested at hospital( unconcious). I think it depends on what penalty is paid is what effectively changes people and their choices. Let me know what you think. The driver is named Diego Guadelupe Perez-Ramorez from Cathedral City. The indio CHP are the law enforcement involved and the Riverside District Attorneys office is responsible for prosecuting any crimes. It is a crime to both drive drunk and travel the wrong way on public roads is it not? If the fact the driver in this story died upsets you because he doesn't get to pay for his crime , then help get this driver who did no less than the deceased wrong way driver in Highland did and he might not even get a ticket. Dropping charges or dismissing cases should NEVER apply to a obvious crime of driving drunk the wrong way on a highway or freeway(SR 86 in my case) or any other road. Maybe i am wrong and I should just forgive and forget . I should just deal with the detached retina and I think fractured arm and cover the cost of my car , laptop , phone , glasses , and things I won't even mention because It was an accident ? No . Running a red light isn't an accident . If you know you are drinking, and decide to drive , and get on freeway wrong way or cross over a 40 yard dirt median and then crash head on at high speed into anyone , you should go to prison and pay every penny you have for as long as it's needed ...if you live that is. And insurance wasn't there so why are they the ones I have to depend on for the damages. And anyone with a DUI should have to get full coverage with minimal of 100k bodily injury by law!!! Understand people ..past DUI and you want to drive well you can't just have minimal coverage . 15, 000 dollars doesn't cover the ambulance ride after lawyers and doctors are involved . Imagine this guy being coddled with no negative repercussions except his own injuries. This story shouldn't just end with a go fund me solicitation. Shouldn't insurance bury the victims? Wake up people and writers. Let's get real on at least this behavior . Who hears me?

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