Two people were sent to the hospital Tuesday morning when a car
struck another in a collision on Monterey Highway just past
California Avenue in San Martin.
Two people were sent to the hospital Tuesday morning when a car struck another in a collision on Monterey Highway just past California Avenue in San Martin.
The accident occurred when Jonathan Cruz Beleze, 81, of Gilroy, stopped his red Chevy Corsica in the fast lane, intending to make a U-turn. Then, a 2003 Dodge Neon, driven by Wenhuei K. Ho, 62, of Worthington, Ohio, came around the corner. She was unable to stop in time and collided with Beleze, the California Highway Patrol said.
Beleze’s car received major damage to the rear section. The Dodge suffered major damage to the front, causing the engine to catch fire.
People passing by saw the car and ran over to aid the woman who was gathering up paper work out of the car.
“I pulled over and there’s a women sitting in the car gathering all of her belongings,” said Donna Brodsky, who came upon the accident. “I ran over to the car and another gentleman ran up behind me. We both yelled at her to get out of her car, but she wouldn’t get out.”
Brodsky and the other man got the woman out of the car and across the street. The fire was put out by an off-duty firefighter.
Ho was on her way to pick up her husband at the airport. She told Brodsky that she was coming around the bend just after California Avenue and saw the car in the road.
“She said to me ‘I just hoped they moved a little bit.’ But they didn’t move,” said Brodsky.
Ho and the passenger from the Corsica were taken to Saint Louise Regional Hospital in Gilroy. She suffered a bruised torso and was complaining of pain in her back, shoulder and left knee. The other passenger, whose name has not been released because he is a minor, was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
There were no citations issued, and the CHP is still investigating the crash.
Ho was treated and released from the hospital before noon.
“She called me at noon,” Brodsky said, “and said she was fine. But she had to get a cab to get to the airport.”
