A woman who died in a head-on crash while trying to pass other vehicles on a two-lane road in Escondido was identified Friday as a 58-year-old Valley Center resident.
Geraldine Ava Hodge died from blunt force trauma at the scene of the Jan. 17 crash near Lawrence Welk Resort Village, the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office said.
Hodge was driving a Lincoln Town Car on Champagne Boulevard south of the Lawrence Welk entrance when she attempted the passing maneuver, according to the medical examiner’s office and California Highway Patrol. While driving in the opposite lane, Hodge’s Lincoln slammed head on into a Toyota Corolla, and an SUV Hodge that had passed swerved to avoid the collision, crashing about 150 feet down an embankment.
Hodge was pronounced dead at the scene while two occupants of the Corolla, both in their 60s, were taken to a hospital with major trauma injuries, authorities said.
Two people in the SUV were treated for minor to moderate injuries.
Updated conditions for the four people injured in the crash were not available Friday.
—City News Service