O.C. businesswoman with three prior DUI convictions arrested after a fatal DUI collision

DANA POINT, Calif. – On Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, at about 6:15 p.m., Orange County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the report of a traffic collision involving two vehicles at the intersection of Golden Lantern and Stonehill Drive in Dana Point. Deputies arrived and discovered a Land Rover SUV and a Ford Transit van had been involved in a head-on collision.

Based on preliminary investigation, the Land Rover was traveling westbound on Stonehill Drive and turned left against a red arrow signal in front of the Ford Transit van traveling eastbound on Stonehill Drive.

The driver of the Transit van was transported to a local area hospital where he was treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries. A passenger of the Transit van, Melvin Joseph Weibel, 88, of Dana Point, succumbed to his injuries sustained in the collision and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The driver of the Land Rover, Serene Francie Rosenberg, 48, of Dana Point, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence with three prior convictions and booked into the Orange County Jail for CPC 187(a) – Murder, and CVC 23153(a) – DUI Causing Injury.

She worked as the president of OCMBC Inc’s LoanStream Mortgage, which released a statement stating that Rosenberg had been placed on administrative leave, with someone else replacing her as President.

Their CEO, Rabi Aziz, released a statement that read “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this heartbreaking event and we intend to monitor the situation closely, responding with care and responsibility in accordance with our company’s core values.”

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) is investigating the collision. If anyone has additional details that may assist investigators, or witnessed this traffic collision, they are asked to contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Traffic Bureau at 949-425-1860. Anonymous information may be provided through Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.

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Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions.

When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.