Deadly accident occurred at La Veta Avenue and Devon Road
ORANGE, CA, (September 21, 2025) - Authorities say a suspected drunk driver fatally struck a pedestrian Sunday evening in Orange County.
79-year-old Oscar Garcia Soto was tragically killed Sunday night in Orange when a suspected impaired driver struck him.
The victim, 79-year-old Oscar Garcia Soto of Santa Ana, was walking across La Veta Avenue near Devon Road at about 8 p.m. when he was hit by an eastbound sedan. He died at the scene from his injuries.
The 26-year-old driver, also from Santa Ana, was arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. He was later booked into Orange County Jail.
Police continue to investigate the fatal collision.
CRASH INVESTIGATION NEEDED
Thousands of pedestrians are killed on U.S. roads every year — many by drunk drivers. All these deaths are entirely preventable. The 2023 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 7,314 pedestrians died in traffic crashes occurring on public roads.
Candice Bond, an experienced DUI accident attorney, was interviewed and provided her thoughts on incidents such as this one.
“Separate from criminal charges, a victim’s family may be entitled to compensation through a civil lawsuit against the responsible party,” said Bond, Managing Partner of Bond Legal and national analyst for The Legal Advocate.
“Serving as an advocate, an attorney can help compassionately guide a grieving family during this difficult time, protecting their legal rights, while ensuring that a drunk driver is held accountable for their reckless actions.”
WRONGFUL DEATH CLAIM
Pending the results of the investigation, the family of Oscar Garcia Soto may be entitled to pursue a wrongful death claim. Such claims can provide compensation for medical and funeral expenses, loss of love and companionship, pain and suffering, and the emotional trauma caused by a tragic accident.
“An incident is considered a wrongful death when either a person or entity commits a wrongful or negligent act resulting in a person's death,” said Candice Bond, Managing Partner of Bond Legal.
“When vehicle accident fatalities occur due to unsafe driving, distracted driving, speeding, hit-and-run incidents, or driving under the influence, families are often left with the option to file a civil action against the responsible party.”
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Candice Bond, national legal analyst for Newsline, has extensive experience with fatal pedestrian accidents. If you or a loved one needs help, she offers free consultations.
(Candice Bond, our national legal analyst, is a Managing Partner at Bond Legal. Newsline can and does use quotes from prior interviews with our analysts for our news articles. If you would like to contact Bond Legal to help you, please call 866-985-6515 or use the submission box found on this page. Legal analysts quoted may or may not be licensed in your state).