Updated at 12:50 PM, Saturday Jan. 23
Two Chinese exchange students killed in a wrong-way crash last month on Interstate 5 were identified on Saturday.
The fiery collision was so severe that the students have only been identified a month after the December crash. Shun Yang, 23, and 24-year-old Manlin Yang, who were not related, died from multiple blunt force injuries, the county Department of the Medical Examiner said on Saturday.
Both were UC San Diego students from Guangzhou, China, according to KFMB. Shun Yang was studying computer science, while Manlin Yang was an economics student. Both were en route to Lindbergh Field to catch a plane for the holidays, KFMB added.
The fiery crash — which also killed the driver heading the wrong way on I-5 — happened at 3:22 a.m. Dec. 20, just south of Manchester Avenue.
The driver of a Mercedes — identified as 29-year-old David Michael Elmore of Encinitas — was heading the wrong way when his vehicle struck a Chrysler occupied by Manlin Yang and Shun Yang; the impact set the Chrysler on fire.
Elmore was heading toward Tijuana when he suddenly made a U-turn and fled north in southbound lanes, according to CHP spokesman Jim Bettencourt. The car was estimated to be speeding above 100 mph, the CHP said.
Elmore had a history of at least five DUIs on his record, according to CBS8. He was able to drive 40 miles in the wrong direction on the freeway before the collision.
City News Service contributed to this article.
