Redondo Beach crash: 6-year-old boy dies from injuries; driver pleads not guilty

REDONDO BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- A Redondo Beach woman pleaded not guilty on Friday to five felony counts after she allegedly crashed her vehicle into a crowd outside a church, killing four people, including a 6-year-old boy.

Margo Bronstein, 56, was charged with four counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and a single count of driving under the influence of a drug causing injury.

The suspect entered the courtroom on a gurney because of injuries she suffered during the collision. She was escorted by two paramedics and handcuffed to the gurney.

Bronstein, who is "mobility impaired," was ordered to be held on $500,000 bail.

Defense attorney Jeffrey Gray says his client has a birth defect and that's why her car has hand-controlled brakes. He says it's unknown if the car malfunctioned or if she had an adverse reaction to medication.

"It appears that everyone is jumping to conclusions about this case," Gray said. "We have no toxicology level, we have no blood alcohol level. We know that Ms. Bronstein is an individual who does not live her life recklessly."

Gray argued that she was not an irresponsible driver.

"Things have to be looked into. Is this a situation due to her vehicle equipped with special devices due to her handicap? Was there a malfunction there?" Gray said.

Investigators say Bronstein was driving a white Saturn northbound on Pacific Coast Highway through the intersection of Vincent Street when she ran a red light, struck 11 pedestrians, and slammed head-on into an SUV around 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Samuel Gaza, 6, died of his injuries at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center late Thursday night, the coroner said. The boy's mother, 36-year-old Martha Gaza, as well as 87-year-old Saeko Matsumura and 81-year-old Mary Wilson, died on Wednesday. The victims had just left a Christmas concert at St. James Catholic Church when they were hit.

Friends from the St. James Catholic School and Church community said Samuel sang in the school Christmas concert Wednesday night. Hundreds of people gathered for a private vigil at the school's baseball field Friday night.

The school has set up a fund to help with funeral costs and medical bills.

Court documents accuse Bronstein of driving under the influence of prescription drugs and alcohol. Specifics on the medications was not revealed.

Five adults, including the suspect and the SUV driver, and four other children were injured in the crash. One of the victims, 13-year-old Jasper Lem, spoke from his hospital bed to thank everyone for their support.

"I will get surgery, but I know that with everyone's support and prayers, I will make it through it. After this, I will get stronger eventually," Lem said in the video posted on Facebook.

The crash remains under investigation. Toxicology tests will determine what was in Bronstein's system at the time of the deadly crash.

If convicted as charged, Bronstein faces approximately 40 years in state prison.