We have great PIOS and law enforcement, I waited until this morning to confirm some details and a press release from EPD and information from the Coroner about the deceased from the Broadway collision is forthcoming

 

(EPD Facebook post yesterday around 8 p.m.)

Yesterday evening on 7/21, there was a fatal collision on Broadway near Leon's Car Center and Fiesta Cafe. Most people are familiar with details however those are unverified details through random social media accounts including Tik Tok and none of these are news, information or law enforcement sources. While I appreciate intent behind the posts and comments from two local business owners included below; they are not Eureka Police Department, Humboldt Bay Fire or any other law enforcement agency.

Eureka Police Department was on scene. I knew after evidence collection and intial investigation Eureka Police Department would send out an official press release with more details. 

I contacted HCSO PIO Hilary Lebow who told me she is waiting to hear from the Coroner and will then respond to my media inquiry. Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal sent a response to me shortly after HCSO's earlier email.". 

"On July 21, 2025, the Humboldt County Coroner responded to the scene of a crash off Broadway in Eureka. We are deferring logistical questions to the Eureka Police Department (EPD), as the incident occurred within their jurisdiction. We can confirm that one female is deceased. As soon as the coroner’s office confirms her identification and notifies next of kin, we will release more information  The autopsy is scheduled for later this week, and the cause of death will be determined at that time."

EPD PIO Laura Montagna also responded with the following, "Yes, we are the lead agency. Waiting for Coroner to notify next of kin and release info on the deceased. The van was stolen from Fortuna. The press release will go out when Commander Leonard LaFrance is available later this morning." 

The EPD press release issued today 11:37 a.m.  has been added to the post.

7/25 update: HCSO Lt. Jesse Taylor confirmed the deceased is 25 year old Eureka resident, Kendra Leighanne Beni Yao Moore.

EPD Press Release:

On July 21, 2025, at approximately 6:53 PM, Eureka Police Department (EPD) patrol officers and Humboldt Bay Fire (HBF) responded to a fully engulfed van fire in the parking lot of a business in the 800 block of Broadway. HBF personnel quickly initiated fire suppression efforts. 

Unfortunately, the van’s driver was found deceased at the scene. Following standard protocol, EPD's Criminal Investigations Unit and Major/Fatal Injury Traffic Investigations responded to investigate the incident.

 Preliminary Timeline of Events (approximate): • 6:46 PM – Fortuna Police Department contacted EPD’s Communications Center to report a stolen vehicle: a New Life Service van.

 • 6:47 PM – The van's owner informed EPD the vehicle may be entering Eureka, though the information was second-hand. 

• 6:50 PM – California Highway Patrol advised EPD the van was speeding northbound on U.S. Highway 101 and may have hit a guardrail. 

• 6:50 PM – A witness reported to EPD the van was traveling north on Broadway, driving into oncoming traffic. 

• 6:51 PM – EPD received a call reporting a fully engulfed van on fire on the 800 block of Broadway, with one person still inside. 

• 6:53 PM – An EPD officer arrived on scene and confirmed the van had been involved in a collision and was fully engulfed in flames.

 Initial Findings: 

• The stolen van was traveling north on Broadway at a high rate of speed when it veered off the road, jumped the northeast curb at W. Grant Street, and continued north along the sidewalk. 

• It entered a parking lot in the 900 block of Broadway, crossed W. Washington Street, broke through a fence, and collided into two parked vehicles—one of which was occupied. 

• The impact scattered debris, injuring three pedestrians. 

• The van caught fire upon hitting a curb, then became engulfed, igniting one of the vehicles it struck. 

• A total of 12 vehicles were damaged in the incident. 

 The occupant of the parked vehicle and the injured pedestrians were transported to a local hospital with minor to moderate injuries. 

• The van’s driver, a female, was pronounced deceased at the scene. 

(Leon's FB post around 9 p.m. yesterday)

Tom Sadler, co-owner of New Life Service Company has made comments online that the New Life Service Company van was stolen and he and Leon's Car Center facebook post allude to the driver of the van being deceased.