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Alan Dean Edwards

Alan Dean Edwards

Official statement from L.A. County Sheriff’s Dept.:

On Monday, December 8, 2014 at approximately 9:00 a.m., Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Detectives responded to a traffic collision investigation on the 5 Freeway at Templin Highway in Castaic. The collision that occurred early Monday morning involving a male 46-year-old adult and an eight-year-old male and a five-year-old female was initially investigated by the California Highway Patrol. According to Sheriff’s Detectives, preliminary information indicates that the adult male suspect deliberately collided with a parked tractor trailer at a high rate of speed without making any attempts to stop, killing himself and two victims in the car.

The suspect and his ex-wife were involved in a custody battle. The suspect had picked up the kids on Friday, December 5, 2014 for a scheduled visit and when he didn’t return on Sunday, December 7, 204 the wife made a missing persons report.

=======

 

[KHTS] – Homicide detectives Tuesday said they suspect a man intentionally drove his car into the back of a big rig, killing himself and his two children.

The coroner identified the driver as Alan Dean Edwards, 46 and his two children, Eric Dean Edwards, 9, and Alona Marie Edwards, 5, all of Lancaster.

“CHP initially investigated (the scene) as a fatal crash, but in collaboration with the coroner they began to look at it and see it began to look like a deliberate act,” said Lt Eddie Hernandez of the Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau.

Edwards made no attempt to brake, was traveling at a high rate of speed and had to maneuver around objects to deliberately in order to put him on the path to hit the big rig, Hernandez said.

Edwards and his widow were in the middle of a custody battle and in the process of a divorce, Hernandez said.

Edwards picked the kids up from school on Friday, as they had planned for him to do, but when he didn’t show up with the kids on Sunday, Sherri Edwards became concerned and made multiple attempts to get ahold of him, Hernandez said.

When the messages were unanswered, she filed a missing person report with the Lancaster Sheriff’s station.

 

Photo by Rick McClure

Photo by Rick McClure

Previous story:

A 1997 Honda Accord driven by an unidentified man was heading southbound on I-5, and for unknown reasons, his car slammed into a truck parked at a designated brake check on I-5, near Templin Highway around 1 a.m., according to a CHP news release.

The 2006 Freightliner towing a 2003 utility semi trailer was inside the brake check area at the east curb of the brake check, with the driver asleep in the sleeper berth.

“For unknown reasons the driver of the Honda Accord veered left as it approached the big rig and struck the rear of the big rig prior to any evasive action by the driver,” according to a CHP news release.

Emergency response teams received the call at 1:17 a.m. and officials were on scene by 1:30 a.m., according to Fire Department Inspector Flores.

The big rig driver was uninjured in the crash.

The Honda was wedged underneath the big rig upon arrival of emergency personnel. The driver, right front passenger, which was a male child, and a left rear passenger, a female child, were all declared dead at the scene.

The entrance to the Whitaker Brake Check was closed for approximately six hours while the crash was investigated.

This is an ongoing investigation, and the story will be updated with new information as it is made available.

Comment On This Story
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64 Comments

  1. Liz Campo says:

    : ‘( this breaks my heart.

  2. Kathi Cole says:

    Tragic. Prayers to the family

  3. What a selfish jerk, to take his kids with him, my heart breaks for the mother! So sad!

  4. Tommy Rini says:

    Horrible sad and selfish

  5. Oh gosh, what a jackass!!!

  6. Josh Larson says:

    Guilty until proven innocent guys?
    Key word “Suspect.”

  7. Sandy Cee says:

    Wow! How tragic prayers to all their loved ones!!

  8. Ugh. If this is true…what a horrendous and selfish thing to do.

  9. How sad, and one child lived long enough to suffer :-(

  10. Lisa Aguayo says:

    Wow, I hope this is not true. I cannot even fathom how any parent would intentionally kill themselves along with their young children! So heartbreaking.

  11. Wendy Means says:

    Sadly, I was able to find more info on FB. That man failed to return his kids per agreement on Friday night. He kidnapped them. It was reported and this is the unfortunate way they were found. They’re still investigating, sure, but indicators show he did not fall asleep at the wheel, nor did he attempt braking, the former of which I actually thought. You’re right, let’s not judge, but he’s suspect for good reason.

  12. What makes them think it’s deliberate? Is there a suicide note?

  13. Horrible sad & selfish act.. poor.kids didn’t deserve that and poor grieving mother :(

  14. So very sad – sending soooo many prayers to the family <3

  15. Outrage over speculation..
    If you have a brain, please use it.
    We having fun yet?! =/

  16. Irvin Burton says:

    So tragic…prayers to them all…

  17. Rikki Tucker says:

    Prayers for the family.

  18. Maybe he fell asleep

  19. Read the article. He had to go around objects to get to the parked truck. No brake attempt. That is why there is suspicion.

  20. Bridget John Sailsoon

  21. Anyone hear what happened early this morning on Whites Cyn just passed Soledad? Looked like a terrible accident. I hope all are ok. I drove past it around 6 am.

  22. Jeff Selph says:

    Saw on the news that he disabled the airbags. They found parts at his house. I went through custody battle never ever would.thunk of hurting my daughtet no matter.how pissed off I am

  23. I thought he may have fallen asleep at the wheel.

  24. Donn Miller says:

    That’s so sad. read it this morning

  25. Wow! What did those kids do? How selfish! How could anyone do this to their kids if it was intensional!?

  26. Why didn’t he take his own life. Those kids didn’t need to be involved. Just so wrong.

  27. Addie Archer says:

    :( -prayers for mom

  28. Krissy Kjt says:

    Good Lord how awful. :/

  29. Tina Olson says:

    So sad prayers to the family

  30. God be with the family left behind.

  31. The worst crap happens around the holidays

  32. The worst crap happens around the holidays

  33. Robin Shane says:

    Wow. I just have nothing to say. So very sad.

  34. Jalopy1 says:

    I pray the children were asleep. I pray they felt no fear.

Leave a Comment


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