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| Douglas and Steven Uselton. Son and Father killed in Buena Park on Saturday morning. Photo via Tumblr. |
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| Douglas surrounded teammates! RIP |
You Tube video of Oxford Academy Baseball Team winning CIF Championship last year.
By Randy Economy
www.Economy4ABC.Blogspot.com
December 18, 2010
8:30 p.m.
Buena Park, CA
Horrific news. Just awful. Beyond words.
Tonight the community is mourning the loss of a popular father and son who were killed by a suspected "drunk driver" earlier today here at Crescent Avenue and Knott Avenue.
Identified as the victims were Steven Uselton, 44, and his son Douglas, 17, both of Buena Park.
Douglas Uselton, was a standout athlete at nearby Oxford Academy. He was a "star in the making" and played both baseball and basketball, according to published reports this afternoon.
Both father and son were apparently driving to the Oxford Academy campus before sunrise today for a speech-and-debate tournament when the horrific and deadly accident took place.
Local law enforcement with the Buena Park Police Department told a local news outlet that they "believe" that the Uselton's were in their 2000 Buick La Sabre, and going north on Knott Avenue when they were struck violently by a 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer.
Angel Lopez, 18, of Anaheim, is being held tonight in an Orange County jail and is believed to have been "under the influence" or a "controlled substance." Lopez is being held on two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. As soon as updated information is released by the Orange County Sheriff's Department or Buena Park Police, I will update this posting.
Both father and son died at the scene, and tonight the word about this horrific situation is sending shock and sadness throughout our entire community.
I want to hear from the many friends of both Steven and Douglas Uselton. Share your thoughts. My HEART goes out to EVERYONE who knew these two very special people. This is so sad. One week before Christmas. PLEASE...keep Steven and Douglas in your thoughts and prayers, and to also remember the sadness Angel Lopez and his family must be feeling as well. Hit my comment section below. More details as they emerge....
41 comments:
I am BEYOND ANGRY that this happened to both Steven and Doug. What is going on in our community? We are literally losing an entire generation of our CHILDREN to drugs and alcohol. DON'T EVER DRIVE WHILE YOU ARE BUZZED!
Both of them loved each other...tonight they are in Heaven but WE weren't ready for them to go. So SO SAD!
I live less than two blocks where this took place. The accident scene was awful. Our neighborhood is really upset tonight. Thanks for this information.
Does ANYONE know if the guy responsible for doing this is going to get bail?
I am really upset:( I will never get to see my best friends brother or dad again, it was not time for them to go. I will miss them forever
I am really upset:( I will never get to see my best friends brother or dad again, it was not time for them to go. I will miss them forever
May god be with the USELTON family and friends during this horrific tragedy.. may god give the family strength.. RIP to both steven and douglas.. such a sad story so close to christmas
They were incredible. I cannot get my arms or mind around this situation. I want to wake up and think it was a bad dream. I hope no one ever gets behind a car while driving under the influence. This was totally preventable. This family is pure love. I literally got sick to my stomach when I heard this news. Something good has to come out of this. RIP.
I knew Steven as a young boy always full of life. I cannot believe that this is how I hear about his life at a horrible and senseless end. My heart goes out to the family that was my 2nd family for so many years.
The administrators at the school, should be publicly horsewhipped, as no kind of school event should drag any students out of their home at 5:30 AM.
Bring a little history to the event. Two other families, were killed near the intersection a few years ago, and nothing has happened. The first family, six people died in a New Year's Eve auto crash near the intersection of Moody/ Centralia. Then the following year another fatal accident happened at the same intersection, almost a year to the anniversary date.
OC register, reported that the LP PD wrote -56- citations one morning, for not yielding to pedestrians. The radius around the accident, was designed in the 1940s and 50s, and needs to be analyzed and redesigned to address the hi level of moving traffic and the drastic demographic changes surrounding cities. Trees, landscape, traffic, have impaired the visual concept of intersections, all throughout the area. Every city is guilty of failing to address the needs for changes. The city councils are all too greedy, spending money traveling abroad and the ridiculous money spent for magnet schools ( Oxford HS)
Look at the number of deaths at the Del Amo Bridge/ Los Coyotes River, 5 cities surrounding the bridge have done squat.
Police Chiefs + Council + School Administrators, should all be confined to jail time for -1-Yr, changes will be made quickly then.
Hope the subject family files many lawsuits to protect the future generations.
To whoever it was that wanted to blame the school,the police,or the county for the horrible Sat.morn crash ,I can only say "get your head out" and lets make sure the blame goes where it should;another drunk mexican.
So,so,so sad today. My heart goes out to the Uselton family. I have to agree with anonymous who said "get your head out". Lets hold the guilty responsible for their actions and stop making excuses for them. Senor Lopez got drunk and murdered two innocent people. Show no mercy!
As a Christian, I wonder about God's timing here. Why not hit someone else at 5:35am in the morning? No ones on the road.
My prayers to their family and friends!
National Road Accident statistics show: Auto related Deaths from Drunk Driving, Drugs, Texting; are mostly created by Caucasian drivers and not Mexicans.
Blame the teachers for not teaching about education in order to design cars not to operated while under the influence. Less time on teaching about Asia and more time teaching about what matters here in the USA.
Blame the Police for not rallying for cars to operate via the breathalyzer, as cops only rally for Union Money only.
Blame the Councils, as they run the campaigns, pleading for pay back time to their city, but never are proactive in changing the roads in order to make them more safe and lower the policing costs by better design.
Booze and driving will always be a way of life, as man has to outsmart the boozers and make cars non-operable for boozers and redesign our outdated highways.
Bottom line, stop trying to make Mexicans the douche bag for this blog.
Mexicans.
Something is not right with this picture.
Illegal Mexican kids and adults, enter this country illegally, USA educates them from grades K-12, including driver's education, but the illegal status are not allowed to get a DMV license. How are they supposed to use their education and get a job?
Asian and Middle Eastern, illegals, enter the country, but obtain a drivers license, because of international treaty between USA and their countries, dating back to 1940.
If the teachers were not so greedy for money, the teachers should strike not to teach the Mexican children , until they are allowed to get a DMV license.
Our California politicians, allow auto dealers to sell cars, to non-licensed Mexicans, our California auto insurance laws, allows illegal non-licensed Mexicans to get auto insurance:........ Illegal Mexicans can purchase the car, insure the car, why are they not allowed to obtain a California drivers license, if California money has educated them from grades K-12.?
Douche bags in this blog, are the politicians who allow this, and the teachers and police who feed off of teaching for a living and impounding Mexican Cars w/ NO DMV; at the taxpayers expense.
Our family lost it's cousin, uncle, and brother. That family really did have so much love and this is horrible for them to go like this. R.I.P. we love you both
Chris
I hope that people can start WAKING up to the fact that we have a generation of children high on dope here in Buena Park, Cerritos, Artesia, and Cypress. Steven and Douglas died because some SOB teenager was strung out on dope at 5:30 a.m.
This is a sad situation. We NEED to point the finger at our ELECTED CITY COUNCILMEMBERS and LOCAL CHIEF OF POLICES for DOING NOTHING to crack down on the DOPE problem here.
My heart breaks for this family. Too many innocent people are being killed here in our LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS because of STICKING OUR heads in the SAND.
I am a cop here in Buena Park. Enough is enough. Start talking about this issue once and for all...
I live two and a half blocks away from where this happened and was walking my dog when I came across the accident scene. I did not know Steven and Douglas but I feel deeply saddened this happened to them. My heart goes out to their friends and family who all yesterday, had to recieve one of the most devastating phone calls a person can ever recieve. There are not enough harsh punishments and laws with regard to drunk drivers who cause these accidents that kill and injure countless innocent people..including Steven and and his son. Rest in peace Steven and Douglas, and to your family and friends, stay strong. I hope the law comes down hard on the other driver. Be careful when on the road everyone.
My brother was the sunshine in our family and Douglas was the moon. I feel the light has gone out in the world. Both Steve and Douglas were so full of integrity and love. They were both GOOD people who spent their lives loving others. I am so sorry Erin you have lost your big brother and your daddy in a blink. And Des' my heart just breaks for you, your husband of 20 years and your dear son. I love you all.
Nancy
Randy, something POSITIVE HAS to COME from this nightmare. I hope the community can come together as ONE to help educate EVERYONE about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. My heart and PRAYERS go out to this family and their many many friends.
RIP. :(
How many people will have to die because of bad highway/street conditions?
La Palma, Cypress & Anaheim Union SD, must hold a JOINT POWERS Public Hearing, in order to promote a highway study plan and be proactive in retro road re construction; modify intersection w/ latest traffic controls and speed limits. Finance w/ Joint Powers Agreement………
Heard that the ((405-22-605)) Interchange will be under construction after the New Year. This means more traffic, both N/S & W/E. On top of this, 5 Fwy @ carmenita, will be under construction for 5-10 yrs, while a new bridge is being constructed.
If Cypress->LaPalma->Cerritos has traffic now, just wait till construction occurs, more accidents and the poor police departments cry, WE HAVE NO MONEY OR STAFF TO PATROL.
Everyone must attend, city of La Palma City Council Meeting, public hearing, Tues 12/21/10 and beg the city council to be proactive in JOINT POWER STUDY SESSION AND URGE CYPRESS AND ANAHEIM SD to have emergency hearing, before 12/31, to obey the BROWN ACTS..
Rip!!!
I'm a parent of a student at Oxford and we are deeply saddened by this tragic loss. Lets stop the racist comments as Doug surrounded himself with close friends from all cultures and would not appreciate such hateful comments. More importantly, to the students at Oxford, let this be a time to look at yourself and make a change! Doug and his father would want something positive to come from this situation and there are many of you students that drink, smoke dope, and then get behind the wheel of a car! So, don't point fingers here as this is a loss all around and it could have been one of you Oxford students that took their lives. Make a change in Doug and his father's honor. My prayers are with Doug's family and all affected by this horrific event.
I do not know this family, however, I have been saying prayers for you all. I drove by the accident scene around 8:30 and was detoured. This gave me the opportunity to stop and say a prayer. May God Bless and help this family through this tragic event. This impaired driver should be charged with two counts of murder. He willfully drank or took drugs and willfully drove his car. By doing so, he broke numerous laws that resulted in the tragic deaths of two upstanding citizens.
I heard about this accident from a family that lives nearby. It made my stomach turn. They were driving so peacefully and a horrible thing happens to them!! A dad that worked so hard to raise his son and put him in a really good school and a son full of life!!! Just taken away in a matter of seconds!!! God help their family deal with this tragedy!
steve was my cousin. I will miss him very very much. he was like a little brother to me. steve and douglas are very much in my thoughts and prayers.
Does anyone have information about when and where the funeral is going to be held? Thanks!
To whoever started the conversation about Mexicans and blaming them for what ONE single mexican did...what was the point?, this is about these two people who died tragically and who's family is suffering losses, not about who's fault it was, take into consideration their family's feeling...My godness! My heart goes out to The USELTON family.
I do not know this family...but I am heartsick tonight. My daughter graduated from Oxford several years ago and I feel that the school and this family are being dishonored by the ignorant racism being spewed on this blog. Certainly this substance abusing teenager should be punished in the most severe manner possible...but his race is irrelevant. The infrastructure in this step-child of OC is abominable.The population growth (over building)has not been compensated for. The Carmenita/Moody "highway" situation is horrific. Drive through Cypress/LaPalma/Buena Park with a expired tag or a tail light out and you will be stopped within 5 minutes. But never an officer in sight when motorists are speeding through when the school kids are attempting to cross. A student was killed a few weeks ago crossing to go to Kennedy...Chief Ethell stated that due to the death perhaps something will be done. Totally unacceptable. Knott and Crescent looks like something out of 1961...what is it going to take??? Uselton Family...there are no words.....
...Praying God's peace to the Uselton Family! During this special time that the world is decorated for the grandest birthday party, what a priviledge that Steven and Douglas received personal invitations to be with the King! As loved ones and family members must miss them with a stinging pain, I have no words of my own to offer but as a believer in Jesus Christ I know this: Romans 8:18 "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."
With heartfelt sympathy!!
Please, just stop. Stop turning this into your own political reform movements. Honestly, no one gives two shits about your political/racial agendas. What you should be doing is mourning for the loss of this family.
Doug and his dad, Steve, were survived by Desiree (mom/wife) and 15 year old Erin (sister/daughter). The Oxford Academy Boosters organization has set up a memorial fund for the family. If you wish to make a donation please send to:
Oxford Academy Boosters Inc. - Douglas Uselton Memorial Fund
c/o Oxford Academy
5172 Orange Avenue
Cypress, CA 90630
a 501(c)(3) organization
FEIN: 16-1675963 We're sure any donation, no matter how small, will be appreciated.
We hope you enjoy the holidays and have a wonderful 2011
California Illegal Alien stats from the Los Angeles Times:
.
1. 40% of all workers in L.A. County are working for cash & not paying taxes. This is because they are predominantly illegal aliens working without a green card (L.A. County has
10.2 million people).
2. 95 % of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens.
3. 75% of people on most wanted list in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens.
4. over 2/3 of all births in L.A. County are to illegal alien Mexicans on Medi-Cal, whose births were paid by taxpayers.
5. Nearly 35% of all inmates in California dentention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally.
6. Over 300,000 illegal aliens in L.A. County are living in garages.
7. The FBI reports half of all gang members in Los Angeles are most likely illegal aliens from south of the border.
8. Nearly 60% of all occupants of HUD properties are illegal.
9. 21 radio stations in L.A. are Spanish speaking.
10. In L.A. County, 5.1 million people speak English, 3.9 million speak Spanish as their first language. (There are 10.2 million people living in L.A. County).
Other stuff:
29% of inmates in federal prisons are illegal aliens
Don't be too concerned that you might have to pick lettuce either... 2% of illegals pick any produce... The other 98% are receiving welfare, food stamps, medical, free education
picking Americas pockets.
I'm shocked at the racist comments in view of this tragedy. I can point to many other accidents like this that were caused by white drunk drivers. I think that the ones posting with such awful comments should look at California history and the contributions the mexican people have made. California is a rich multicultural state and we should embrace each other's cultures. My daughter goes to Oxford and it is a great school. Oxford is not at fault either. Some fathers bring their son's fishing at that time of morning, so should fishing be at fault just like one person said Oxford is at fault? My most deep sympathies to the Uselton family and the friends who are suffering this loss.
its too bad. this young boy was a fighter and had an amazing career in store for him.
I am very angry!!! How can anyone drink and drive and take someone's life away, I'm sorry but the driver should of been the one to die, not the father and son. My heart and prayers goes out to the family.
Just this week my stepmom was killed in a horrible accident. The kid was only 20 years old and drunk! I'm appalled to see so many racist remarks regarding this accident. Drunks come in all races, genders, and age groups. Let's put the blame where it belongs. In the hands of those who choose to DRINK AND THEN DRIVE!! This is the one thing we CAN control. We have enough to worry about things like cancer and natural occurring events that are beyond our control to worry about drunks in the streets driving!! Let's all make our kids more aware of the consequences, but it has to be a group effort. Everyone should get involved. Maybe high schools should make a mandatory class specific to that. With pictures and field trips to the coroner so they see first hand (shock them to awareness). Whatever it takes!! More has to be done!!
To the Useltons: No words can ease the pain you're going thru. My heart goes out to your family. Our mom was a 67 year old grandmother and we're all grief stricken; I can only imagine the pain of your loss. Steven and Douglas have found eternal peace, they're in a better place than ours now...
It was a year ago last Sunday that this tragedy happened. Time has passed, but the hurt has not lessened. I am good friends with Steven's daughter/Douglas's sister, and I am astounded by the strength she and her mother have to get through each and every day. They live life to the fullest, but still remember their loved ones in the process. I am happy to hear this "Angel"-guy is being charged for murder instead of man-slaughter. No one should ever drink and drive, especially when they don't even have a license. RIP Mr.Uselton and Dougie, the gravesite is decorated beautifully in remembrance of you both. <3
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