Five teenagers were killed and another was left critically injured after a speeding car slammed into a traffic pole in a suspected DUI crash in Santa Barbara County.
The deadly wreck happened early Sunday morning in Santa Maria, sending what witnesses described as a massive boom through the quiet neighborhood.
Police said the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, but evidence found at the scene suggests alcohol may have been a contributing factor, according to Noozhawk.
The crash happened near the intersection of South Broadway and Miller Street, where a makeshift memorial has continued to grow in the days since the tragedy.
Flowers, balloons, candles and photos have been placed along a fence near the crash site as friends, family and community members mourn the teens who died.
One of the victims was identified as 17-year-old Yusbeli “Ava” Diaz, a student at Pioneer Valley High School.
Her mother, Juana Galvez, shared a heartbreaking message after her daughter’s death.
“There are no words to fully express the heartbreak our family is experiencing,” Galvez wrote.
She said Ava was taken to the hospital after the crash and fought to survive for about an hour before she died from her injuries.
Galvez remembered her daughter as a loving and kind-hearted teen who brought happiness to the people around her.
“She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her,” her mother wrote.
Another victim was identified in an online fundraiser as 16-year-old Isabella “Bella” Vigil.
“It is with shattered hearts that we share the tragic and unexpected loss of our beloved Bella, who passed away at just 16 years old following a horrific car accident,” relative Angela Vigil wrote in the fundraiser.
Santa Maria Joint Union High School District spokesperson Kenny Klein confirmed that Ava was a student at Pioneer Valley High School.
Klein said another student killed in the crash attended Santa Maria High School, while a third was a former Pioneer Valley student who had been enrolled in a continuation program.
None of the students who died were scheduled to participate in high school graduation ceremonies being held in the district this week, Klein said.
Counseling services will remain available throughout the week for students and staff grieving the devastating loss.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends, and school communities,” Klein said.
A fourth student who died in the crash attended Maple Continuation High School in the Lompoc Unified School District, officials said.
The fifth teen killed has not been publicly identified in the provided reports.
The sixth person in the vehicle survived but was left in critical condition.
As the investigation continues, mourners have continued visiting the crash site to leave tributes and remember the young lives lost.
A spokesperson for the Santa Maria Police Department said officers are still investigating the deadly collision.
