A Southern California mother is heartbroken after her two adult children were killed in a crash on the 60 Freeway in Chino.
The crash happened on April 7 around 2 a.m. when siblings Joseph Perez, 21, and Jacquelyn Perez, 23, were driving home after visiting their mother in Riverside.
Inside the car was also Joseph’s pregnant girlfriend and their 8-month-old daughter, Nicole.
Jacquelyn was behind the wheel when she lost control of her sedan and crashed into the center divider just west of the Ramona Avenue onramp. The vehicle landed in an embankment off the freeway.
Jacquelyn was killed on impact and Joseph was ejected from the vehicle. The 8-month-old baby was reportedly found underneath the car and Joseph’s girlfriend was found in critical condition.
The girlfriend was hospitalized with injuries but survived. The baby, who was also transported to the hospital, was miraculously unharmed, loved ones said.
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Emergency crews respond to a deadly crash on the 60 Freeway in Chino on April 7, 2025. (OnScene.TV) -
Joseph Perez, 21, and his baby daughter, Nicole, are seen in a family photo. -
The siblings’ mother Karen Perez (on right) is grieving the loss of her two children. (KTLA) -
Joseph Perez, 21, and Jacquelyn Perez, 23, are seen in a family photo. -
Jacquelyn Perez, 23, is seen in a family photo. -
Emergency crews respond to a deadly crash on the 60 Freeway in Chino on April 7, 2025. (OnScene.TV)
The siblings’ mother, Karen Perez, remembers the joy her children brought to everyone they met.
“They would call Jacquelyn ‘Smiley’ because she was always smiling and my son, we would call him ‘Jojo,’” she told KTLA’s Shelby Nelson. “They were just full of life.”
Jacquelyn was a young mother and aspired to be a teacher. Joseph was expecting a second child with his girlfriend. The siblings shared an apartment in West Covina.
“I wake up every morning and call to see maybe if she picks up the phone and maybe it’s just a bad dream,” Karen said.
Video from the crash scene showed Jacquelyn’s vehicle was totaled. CHP investigators said Jacquelyn may have been speeding at the time although the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Family members and loved ones are remembering the siblings while working to raise money for their funerals through a GoFundMe page that can be found here.
As Karen grieves the death of her children, she is urging drivers to be safe. A memorial was set up outside her Riverside home to honor her children’s lives.
Jacquelyn and Joseph are survived by their children, two siblings and their friends and family.
