On April 26, a rollover crash in Whittier killed a 14-year-old student of La Serna High School. Four other teenagers in the car with her were hurt, though the extent of their injuries was not yet known. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office confirmed her identity as Ivette Macias, a resident of Whittier.
The teens were riding in an SUV driven by 19-year-old Daniel Vasquez. Around 11:20 in the morning, according to Whittier police officer John Scoggins, Vasquez was speeding one block from La Serna High School, in the 8400 block of Villaverde Drive, when he lost control of the vehicle. He went up on the sidewalk, struck a large mailbox, and the SUV flipped over. Macias was ejected. Two other passengers were seen still in the vehicle, unconscious.
Police did not yet know why the driver left the road.
Jay Lee was on a nearby driving range, and so witnessed the accident. He saw the SUV flip over, and called 911. One girl was screaming, he told a reporter at the scene. Also he found a cell phone nearby which apparently belonged to one of the passengers.
Vasquez, released from the hospital, was arrested and charged with felony Driving While Under the Influence and vehicular manslaughter.
As representative of the Whittier Union High District, Loring Davis Macias and the four other passengers in the SUV were under the age of 18 and students at La Serna High School. The names of the four other students have not been released.
According to the witness Jay Lee, the others appeared to be in shock. They were unable to speak to him.
The school was allowing students to exchange texts with their parents to confirm they were not injured in the accident. They would also have grief counselors available to speak with students. Scheduled softball and tennis matches were cancelled.
