Very sad story!! I went to highschool with this girl..she was a year younger than me and was only 21!! We weren't close friends..but knew many many people who were. She was always smiling..and she had a great sense of humor and love for life, i do know that!! She cared so much about the people in her life and she brightened everyones day with her uplifiting & fun personality.
She died in an accident early friday morning(late thurs night)-coming home from newport beach, with her very good friend. They were in a honda civic and merging from one freeway to another(i just want to mention-this connector/onrap is surrounded by the white cement-type walls..and has a bend in it(there is no way to reacct if another car comes at you in the wrong direction and there is definately no where to go!!) A truck hit them head on, as the driver was going the wrong way on the freeway/connector!! Ashley died instantly, while her friend(the driver) and the driver of the truck were in critical condition!!
-I posted an article below, that was in the OCregister and I also included a picture that was on her myspace page.(to put a face with the story).
Like i said, we werent close friends, but i knew her well enough to know what kind of person she was..We had many 'common' friends-or friends of friends(..you know how that is.) There were MANY people whose lives she touched, in some way or another..SO many people in her life who loved her so much!! This is so horrible!! it really goes to show you, how fast life can change..you never know how long you have-so cherish every day and tell all the people in your life how much they mean to you!!
She was so SO young-and i know everything happens for a reason..but it still breaks my heart to see this beautiful young woman go, when she still had so much life to live!!
My heart goes out to the family and many friends!! -They are probably devistated and i really feel badly for them(right before thanksgiving and the holidays too!!)
she was a beautiful person and will be missed by many. RIP Ashley.
"-Yorba Linda woman killed in suspected DUI crash-
The Orange County Register
ORANGE – A 21-year-old Yorba Linda woman was killed in an early morning head-on crash Friday that forced authorities to close down the 55 north connector to the 22 west for more than nine hours.
The drivers of the two vehicles were both taken into custody and are being investigated for driving under the influence of alcohol, said California Highway Patrol Officer Denise Quesada.
Ashley Knight, 21, was in the passenger seat of a 2002 Honda Civic when it crashed with a 2007 Toyota Tacoma, Quesada said.
Investigators combed through the scene of the accident for more than nine hours to take pictures, measurements and collect evidence, closing down the connector from about 2:15 to 11:41 a.m.
"There was a significant amount of damage to both vehicles," Quesada said. "This was our one and only time to retrieve evidence."
Brian Burchfield, a 22-year-old resident of Irvine, is believed to have been traveling the wrong way on the 22 when the accident happened, said CHP Officer Jennifer HInk.
Burchfield was traveling eastbound on the westbound lanes of the 22 freeway and transitioned the wrong way toward the 55, HInk said.
Samira Bahu, 23, of Norco, was merging from the 55 north toward the 22 west when Burchfield crashed head-on into the Honda Civic, Hink said.
The truck was overturned during the crash.
Both Bahu and Burchfield suffered critical injuries and were taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana for treatment. They both were taken into custody on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Knight, who was riding with Bahu, died at the scene."
*Picture#1-Ashley is on the left(the girl with her is the friend who was driving)
*Picture#2 &3-on the left
*Picture#4-middle(girl on right=driver)