The crash happened in the morning. But by late afternoon, a lot of debris still remained.
Police say that around 9:30 a.m., a woman driving a Dodge Charger was driving westbound on Marsh Creek Road when she ran a red light.
As she entered the intersection, a minivan carrying a family of six drove south on Vasco Road and slammed into her. One of the cars came careening off the road and stopped in the dirt.
The woman in the Dodge was airlifted to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek. She was pronounced dead shortly after she arrived.
The husband and wife in the minivan, they were also airlifted to John Muir where they remain in critical condition. It turns out that woman is pregnant. Their other four children were all taken to Children's Hospital in Oakland. Their conditions are unknown.
"Anytime we talk about a human life being lost, it's definitely a significant crash and it's something that is going to affect her family, and her loved ones, and her friends," CHP Officer John Sarnsen said in a phone interview. "It's something we don't take lightly. Our mission is to keep people safe."
Police don't know if the woman who ran the red light was speeding or was under the influence.
But what police do know is that have noticed more red light runners in east Contra Costa County. They say it's more than they've ever seen before.
