Two teenagers are dead and one is hospitalized with serious injuries following a suspected DUI crash in Riverside on Saturday, officials confirmed.
Riverside Police said calls came into the department around 5:40 a.m. reporting a crash on Wood Road, north of Van Buren Boulevard.
First responders arrived and found one of the two involved vehicles on fire. After putting out the flames, police said they found two people deceased inside.
According to the preliminary investigation, three teenagers were in the car that caught on fire, a gray Lexus sedan, and the other car involved was a blue Scion with an adult male as the sole occupant. Police have not released any of their identities.
The investigation shows a 17-year-old boy was speeding in the Lexus north on Wood Road when he ran a red light at Van Buren Boulevard.
The man driving the Scion was crossing east in the intersection on a green light and crashed with the Lexus.
After the collision, the Lexus continued north and struck a cement light pole, a wooden electrical pole and then a tree before finally coming to a stop and catching on fire.
The 17-year-old driver and an 18-year-old woman were found dead in the sedan after the fire was put out. Police said the other 17-year-old male passenger was found with serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
The adult driver of the Scion was not injured and remained at the scene, cooperating with investigators.
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Debris and a destroyed car are seen in this photo taken after a suspected DUI crash killed 2 teens and seriously injured one in Riverside. November 2024. (Riverside Police) -
Debris and a destroyed car are seen in this photo taken after a suspected DUI crash killed 2 teens and seriously injured one in Riverside. November 2024. (Riverside Police)
Police said the identities of the two teens killed in the crash will be released by the Coroner’s Office pending notification of family members.
“Alcohol and drugs are suspected factors that contributed to this collision, as well as vehicle speed,” Riverside Police wrote in a release.
The department asks anyone with additional information related to this collision to contact Traffic Detective Amanda Beeman at 951-826-8723 or [email protected].
