Seal Beach : D.A. Studies Reports on Fatal Accident

The district attorney’s office is reviewing police reports on a Nov. 12 auto accident to determine whether to file charges against a woman whose car plowed into a bus bench, killing one person and injuring three others.

Although Seal Beach police concluded their investigation last week, authorities said they are still not sure exactly what caused 87-year-old Anna Alice Crocker to drive her car into the crowd.

What police do know is that the accident occurred as Crocker was making a right turn from a shopping center driveway onto Seal Beach Boulevard, Sgt. Dean Zanone said. But instead of staying on the street, Crocker’s car made a U-turn, traveling back toward the sidewalk and into the bus bench, Zanone said.

Still unclear is how Crocker lost control of the car and why it continued lurching to the right once on the street, he said.

At the most, Crocker could be charged with manslaughter in the death of Marion Lawrence, 80, of Seal Beach. Depending on what the district attorney’s office decides, Crocker might also be cited for driving at an unsafe speed and for making an unsafe turn, Zanone said.

The accident occurred about 5:30 p.m. as Crocker was apparently returning to her home at the nearby Leisure World retirement community.

Crocker apparently filed for a license renewal in October, but according to the Department of Motor Vehicles, the license was still pending.

Officials said they were not sure why the renewal wasn’t immediately approved.