Families and community members huddled together on the sidewalk near the crash site, lighting candles and sharing their grief and pain as they remembered lives lost too soon.
The fatal crash happened early Saturday morning in Orange. Police spotted a 2005 Nissan Altima with seven people inside that was flying down the street. At times, speeds were estimated at up to 100 mph.
Officers gave chase, but the Nissan soon crashed, hitting guardrails and signal lights at a railroad crossing, flipping over and eventually becoming engulfed in flames.
None of the seven occupants were wearing seatbelts, police say.
Three people died in the crash and four were seriously injured.
Police found nitrous oxide and balloons at the scene and believe the driver, identified as Azarie Fuller, 19, from Exeter in Tulare County, was impaired behind the wheel.
“When people put nitrous oxide in a balloon, it creates a temporary high and it can cause impairment,” said Sgt. Phil McMullin, of the Orange police department. “In this instance, we believe it might have been used or contributed to the collision.”
Amber McGinley is mourning her son Dominic, 17, who died in the crash.
She wants people to think of more than just this incident when they remember Dominic.
“Just wanted to make people happy, as a loving, caring kid that wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Amber McGinley said. “He was that amazing. Always looking at the brighter side. I just want them to see him for the good person he was.”
Dominic’s sister Madison was particularly heartbroken that she never had the chance to share a piece of good news: He was about to be an uncle. Madison is a month pregnant but hadn’t had the chance to tell her brother.
“I’m scared one day I’ll lose the sound of his voice,” she said. “I’m trying to get through this. Trying to cope, help my mom. It’s just tough times.”
“He was the one who was there most of the time. I grew up back-to-back with him. It was just me or him til the end, you know?”
A GoFundMe page has been started to help Dominic’s family with funeral expenses.
The other two people who were pronounced dead at the scene were a 14-year-old girl whose name has not been released and a 26-year-old who has been identified as Gustavo Castro from Garden Grove.
Paramedics rushed four people, including the driver, Fuller, to hospitals. Three suffered critical injuries and one had moderate injuries, McMullin said.
Two of the three critically injured people were juveniles, according to investigators.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call the Orange Police Department at (714) 744-7444.
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