The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has released the identities of four individuals who perished in a fiery single-vehicle collision early Saturday morning, February 21, 2026, near the Long Beach Airport, as federal investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board commence their own inquiry into the incident.
The crash occurred at approximately 1:18 a.m. at the intersection of East Spring Street and Lakewood Boulevard, where a southbound 2008 Honda Accord struck the center median curb, veered out of control, and slammed violently into a concrete support wall within the tunnel that passes beneath a section of the airport runway. The force of the impact ignited the vehicle, engulfing it completely in flames and presenting a devastating scene for first responders who arrived moments later.
Long Beach Fire Department personnel arriving at the location discovered one female victim outside the burning sedan while three additional occupants remained trapped within the blazing wreckage. Despite immediate and aggressive rescue efforts, all four individuals succumbed to their injuries and were pronounced deceased at the scene.
The coroner’s office has identified the victims as 22-year-old Amber Delgado of Huntington Park, who was found outside the vehicle; 22-year-old Caleb Gainer; 28-year-old Brian Delgado; and 22-year-old Isabel Acevedo. Officials determined that Brian Delgado’s death resulted from a combination of blunt force trauma, inhalation of combustion byproducts, and thermal injuries.
The Long Beach Police Department has confirmed that investigators are actively examining both speed and impairment as possible contributing elements in the crash. Authorities are reconstructing the sequence of events that led the Honda Accord to strike the median curb and lose control in the tunnel beneath the airport runway. The site has become the focus of detailed forensic examination as detectives work to determine the circumstances preceding the fatal impact.
Authorities have issued a public appeal for information related to the crash. Witnesses or individuals with relevant knowledge are encouraged to contact LBPD Collision Investigation Detail Detective Ashley Van Holland at 562-570-7355. Anonymous tips may be submitted through LA Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), utilizing the “P3 TIPS” mobile application, or visiting LACrimeStoppers.org.
