5 high school or younger students among those in deadly Santa Ana crash

Four high school students and an intermediate school student were among those involved in a fatal solo-vehicle crash in Santa Ana that killed four over the weekend, authorities said Monday, April 7.

Among those killed were three Valley High School students – including the driver who had recently turned 18 – and a 20-year-old woman, Officer Natalie Garcia said. Their identities had not yet been made public by police.

Another passenger, a girl who attends Carr Intermediate School, was in grave condition at the hospital, Garcia said.

The sixth occupant, a girl who attends Valley High School, was expected to survive.

It was unclear where the six occupants were headed in the Lexus sedan before the crash, which occurred shortly after Segerstrom Avenue curves to the right.

The driver was believed to have been speeding before colliding with a tree in the median while traveling westbound between Raitt and Greenville streets just before 11:25 p.m. Saturday night, police have said.

Among the crash victims were two pairs of sisters and another family member related to one of the pairs, Garcia said, though as of Monday it was unclear which of them were among the dead.

The crash occurred near Carl Thornton Park and police have said that some of the occupants were wearing seatbelts while others were not. The driver was believed to have been speeding before the crash, police have said.

Drugs or alcohol may have factored into the crash.

A memorial of white crosses, flowers and candles was erected in the median on Sunday, with a handful of people stopping by the crash site.

Angel Garcia, 17, stopped by the median Monday afternoon and set down a candle and a bouquet of red silk flowers after learning his ex-girlfriend had been among those killed.

“It’s really hard, I’ve never experienced this pain in my heart,” Garcia said. “Never in a million years did I think this would happen.”

Garcia found out about the crash from a cousin of the girl, whom he said he dated for two years after they met through social media. They attended Carr Intermediate School together, he said, adding that she loved red flowers.

He described her as a sweet person, always kind.

Garcia, who is out of school on Spring Break, said the girl’s current boyfriend was also in the car.