Obituaries
3 Family Members Killed In I-80 Crash ID'd
The siblings were on the way to visit their dad, who was in the hospital.
Three family members from Richmond who were killed when their vehicle crashed into a big-rig stopped on the side of westbound Interstate Highway 80 in Oakland early Thursday morning have been identified by the Alameda County coroner's bureau.
The family members were siblings Eli Villarreal, 24, Sara Villarreal, 22, and Eva Villarreal, 19, according to the coroner's bureau.
The Villarreal family members were in a silver Ford Escape that crashed into a big-rig that was stopped on the side of westbound Highway 80 west of Powell Street on the curve of the highway near Oakland's border with Emeryville at about 1:20 a.m. Thursday, according to the California Highway Patrol.
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Surviving members of the family said in an online posting that the siblings' 17-year-old brother, Aaron, also was injured in the crash and "is fighting for his life."
The family members wrote, "This tragic accident happened on the way to see their dad at hospital who's in critical condition."
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The survivors said, "We are devastated by the loss of three good souls. Only God knows why he takes people, but he took three of the most perfect people. Eli would always say, 'At the end of the day, family is all you got.'"
The family has set up aGoFundMe site. As of 6 p.m. Monday, it had raised more than $127,000, significantly more than its $75,000 goal.
Contributions were made by 2,482 people.
The CHP said speed and wet road conditions from stormy weather may have been factors in the crash.
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