Crime & Safety
MB Resident Dies in SUV Rollover on Interstate
College freshman Rachel Kekauoha, whose parents and brother live in Manhattan Beach, was on her way to Lake Havasu when the SUV she was riding in rolled over several times and she was ejected.
Rachel Kekauoha, a Manhattan Beach resident, 2011 graduate of Mira Costa High School and freshman at Brigham Young University, Idaho, died Friday, April 6 around 3:27 a.m. when she was ejected from the vehicle she was riding in, Manhattan Beach Patch has confirmed.
According to Dave Carter of the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office, Rachel was a front seat passenger in a 2000 Nissan Pathfinder SUV whose driver "over-corrected" after the vehicle began to drift off the road. She was not wearing a seat belt, he said.
The rollover occurred on Interstate 40 in rural Ludlow, according to Carter. Rachel's father Kelland told MB Patch she was on her way to Lake Havasu.
Find out what's happening in Manhattan Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Rice Mortuary, 5310 Torrance Blvd., Torrance, will be the site of a public visitation April 20 from 5-9 p.m., according to Kelland.
A funeral service will be held Saturday, April 21st at 11 a.m. at the Redondo 2nd Ward building of , 715 Knob Hill Ave., Redondo Beach.
Find out what's happening in Manhattan Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Rachel will be buried at Green Hills Memorial Park, 27501 S. Western Ave., Rancho Palos Verdes.
In lieu of flowers and meals, a family friend and neighbor has established the Rachel Kekauoha Memorial Fund to help her family cover funeral costs. Donation checks made out to the Rachel Kekauoha Memorial Fund can be sent to or dropped off at 448 32nd Street, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266.
Donations may also be made by credit card: If you have a Paypal account, login to your account, choose "send money" as a "personal gift" to rkmf2012@gmail.com (email set-up for the Rachel Kekauoha Memorial Fund).
If you don't have a current PayPal account, it is easy to donate. Go to Paypal's official website, click on the "Send Money" tab and follow the prompts using the rkmf2012@gmail.com email address.
The memorial fund is with Chase, so donors may also make donations at the bank branch in Manhattan Village at 2900 N. Sepulveda Blvd. or by transferring funds to the memorial fund if they have a Chase online account.
The Manhattan Beach Police Department sent an officer and member of the Victim's Assistance Team to notify her family, dad Kelland, mom Robin and brother Conor, all of MB, of her death last Friday, according to MBPD Public Information Officer Stephanie Martin.
A friend of Rachel's has made a tribute video titled,
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
