Teen crashes stolen car, kills 2 passengers
A 16-year-old male from Indio is facing charges of vehicular manslaughter after killing two passengers who were riding with him in a stolen car. The crash happened on Tuesday around 4 p.m. on Dillon Road, just south of Berdoo Canyon Road.
According to troopers with the California Highway Patrol, the 2013 Hyundai Genesis involved in the crash was stolen in Indio sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning.
The 16-year-old driver from Indio received minor injuries but there were also four passengers in the car, three of which were ejected as the car rolled several times traveling southbound on Dillon Road.
CHP reports that one passenger was killed on scene and another died soon after at Desert Regional Medical Center. The two other passengers sustained major injuries. The passengers included an 18-year-old male from La Quinta, a 17-year-old female from Indio, and two other males from Indio whose ages are not known at this time.
The driver admitted to traveling between 85 MPH and 100 MPH before losing control of the Hyundai. According to authorities, the car traveled to the left and struck the dirt berm on the east side of the road. The Hyundai overturned multiple times.
News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 have confirmed that one of the victims killed was Andres Romo, 18, of La Quinta. He was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs where he later died. Romo was a student at Amistad High School.
The names of the other passengers haven’t been released at this time due to their ages and because police still need to notify their families.
The investigating officer said it appeared that the two teens that were not ejected from the vehicle were wearing their seat belts. Officers said it’s crucial for everyone to wear their seat belts in an effort to avoid these tragedies.
Continue to follow News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 as we learn more about the passengers killed in the crash and the court proceedings involving the teen driver who was arrested.
