Vasquez, Hurt in Crash, May Return to Work Today

SANTA ANA — Orange County Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez was expected to return to work today after suffering a concussion in a Sunday evening traffic accident.

At home after his discharge from St. Joseph Hospital in Orange on Monday, Vasquez said he was still groggy from the collision and was looking forward to “a good night’s sleep.”

“Now I know what a deer feels like in the headlights of an oncoming car,” the supervisor said. “It was quite a scary experience. There was nowhere to go.”

Vasquez was driving alone in his county car Sunday evening when he was hit by a driver who reportedly ran a red light at Brynhurst Road and Canyon View Avenue in Orange.

The driver, identified as Alan Singer, 30, was arrested and released with citations on traffic warrants unrelated to Sunday’s accident, Lt. Tim Browne said. Singer was also treated at St. Joseph Hospital on Sunday night and released.

Browne said the collision was still under investigation, and that witnesses told police the supervisor’s car was struck by a car that had gone through the red light.

Vasquez said the other car left at least 200 feet of skid marks.

“I was in the kill zone,” Vasquez said. “Luckily, he hit the front end of the car.”

Damage estimates to Vasquez’s county vehicle were not available, Browne said.

The supervisor was driving from his home in Orange to a speaking engagement in Newport Beach when the accident occurred.