3 killed after driver hits crowd outside Redondo Beach church

REDONDO BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- The coroner says two more people have died after a driver hit a group of pedestrians outside a Redondo Beach church. The death toll is now at three.

According to police, a group of 11 St. James Catholic Church parishioners were leaving a Christmas play around 8 p.m. Wednesday when the crash happened.

"We had a whole church full of people and as they were departing and crossing the street, a car plowed through the crosswalk," said Monsignor Michael Meyers.

A woman, later identified as 56-year-old Margo Bronstein of Redondo Beach, was driving a white Saturn northbound on Pacific Coast Highway through the intersection of Vincent Street when she ran a red light, struck the pedestrians, and slammed head-on into an SUV, investigators said.

"She didn't get out of the car. I yelled at her and asked her, 'What did you do?' She just looked at me blank-eyed," said witness Michael Tovar.

Police say eight adults, including the driver, and five children were injured in the crash. A child and an adult, who both suffered head injuries, remained in critical condition Thursday morning.

The victims who died were identified as 36-year-old Martha Gaza, 87-year-old Saeko Matsumura and 81-year-old Mary Wilson, all of Torrance.

Police told Eyewitness News that Bronstein was likely under the influence of prescription drugs at the time of the crash.

Bronstein was arrested for felony vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. She is being held on $300,000 bail, and her first court appearance was scheduled for Friday.