A devastating crash in Santa Ana late Saturday night has resulted in the death of four people, including three teenagers, with two others critically injured, authorities report. Santa Ana Police Department responded to the incident near Segerstrom Avenue and Griset Place around 11:30 p.m. to discover a single vehicle that had collided with a tree at high speed. According to a KTLA article, the car, carrying six people, failed to execute a turn, resulting in the tragic accident.
The car was occupied by five females, one male, with at least two of the occupants being ejected upon impact. Four of the passengers were declared dead at the scene, while the remaining two were rushed to the hospital. One of the hospitalized victims is in critical condition, and the other is in a stable condition, Officer Natalie Garcia from the Santa Ana Police Department told CBS News Los Angeles. Garcia further stated that officers believe impairment may have contributed to the crash, although the investigation continues.
Four of the victims were reportedly local teenagers, and as reported by Officer Garcia to KTLA 5's Omar Lewis, "It’s sad that these kids were locals to Santa Ana. It’s a devastating incident." A witness, Rachel Cervantes, expressed concerns about the frequency of high-speed incidents in the area, particularly during the evenings when racing seems prevalent.
The shockwaves of the collision caused debris to scatter across the road, damaging two other cars driving in the opposite direction. No one of those vehicles sustained injuries requiring hospitalization, yet both vehicles had to be towed, according to CBS News Los Angeles. The area of Segerstrom near where the crash occurred is closed for an indefinite period as investigations proceed. Local authorities urge anyone with information about the tragic event to contact the Santa Ana Police Department.
