Medical emergency may have led to 7-vehicle East Palo Alto crash that killed 2, family says
EAST PALO ALTO, Calif. (KGO) -- Two people died, and three others were injured following a seven-vehicle crash Tuesday morning in East Palo Alto.
The crash occurred at about 8:20 a.m. at the intersection of Bay Road and University Avenue, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities have not officially identified the victims. However, family members and friends at the crash scene identified them as Bob McGee and Carolyn Watkins.
Authorities have not released the cause of the crash. McGee's family said they believe a medical emergency may have contributed to the collision.
"I don't think he was alive when he hit those cars. I really don't think he was alive," McGee's sister, Dorothy McGee, said.
Family members said McGee had a heart condition and speculated that he may have suffered a heart attack while driving.
According to family members, McGee's vehicle was one of seven involved in the larger collision.
"When someone told me his car was going that fast, I knew something was wrong. They said it had been going like 50 or 60 miles an hour. I'm just so thankful that no one else was really badly hurt, you know? And I just hope the people don't judge him too harshly because I don't even think he knew he hit cause he was gone," Dorothy McGee said.
The crash happened near East Palo Alto City Hall. Video from SKY7 showed a SamTrans Ride Plus van with deployed airbags near a damaged fence, while a red minivan sustained severe front-end damage.
Following an investigation that lasted several hours, the roadway reopened at about 1 p.m.
As family members gathered at the scene, they remembered McGee's impact on the community.
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"Well known in the community, great man, always doing something and willing to do the work. We loved him dearly. He did DJ for everybody's party - put things together. Just an awesome guy, you know? Sad that he went like this," McGee's niece, Christina Calloway, said.
News of McGee's death quickly spread throughout East Palo Alto, where relatives said he was widely known.
"I mean everybody knows him. Everybody loved him. He could walk into a store, and he couldn't even get into the store because people were hugging him, giving him five. You know, that's just the kind of guy he was," Dorothy McGee said.
When asked whether his death was a tragic loss for East Palo Alto, she responded, "Absolutely, absolutely."
The investigation into the cause of the crash remains ongoing. McGee's family said they wanted to extend their prayers to everyone involved in the collision.
