Mom, dad and 10-year-old son killed in head-on crash in Ohio
A mother, father and their young son were killed in a head-on crash in Hamilton, Ohio, authorities said.
The three-vehicle crash happened on Sunday afternoon in the area of River Road and Hooven Avenue, killing 35-year-old Milton Alvarez Lagos, 27-year-old Betty Salazar Lopez and 10-year-old Milton Salazar Alvarez, CBS affiliate WKRC reported.
Officials reportedly said the driver of a Pontiac Torrent smashed head-on into the driver of a Honda Civic after crossing the center line to pass the vehicle in front of them. The news outlet reported that the Honda then struck a detached garage and a fence. The three family members were in the Honda, and they were pronounced dead at the scene.
After smashing into the Honda, the driver of the Pontiac hit the driver of a Ford pickup truck. The driver of the Pontiac suffered serious injuries, while the truck driver was uninjured, WKRC reported.
The crash happened on a stretch of road with a posted speed limit of 35 mph. Investigators said, according to the TV station, that the driver of the Pontiac was going more than double the speed limit at the time of the crash.
"This problem's not just River Road," Hamilton Vice Mayor Eric Pohlman told WKRC. "It's every street in every town and in every city, in every state. We have an epidemic, I feel, of people just flying down roads."
It was not immediately known if the driver of the Pontiac would face charges.
Boy killed in crash remembered as "friend to everyone"
Hamilton City School District said in a Facebook post that the 10-year-old boy was a fifth grader at Ridgeway Elementary. The post said he was in the car with his parents when they were killed in the crash.
"Milton was a friend to everyone and had a way of lighting up any room he entered," the post said. "He joined Hamilton City Schools last November from Honduras, attending Highland through the remainder of his fourth-grade year before beginning at Ridgeway this past August. Milton was a fast learner with a big heart, and we're incredibly proud of all the progress and growth he made while here in Hamilton."
The post went on to say that his death "will be felt deeply" by everyone in the school district, which is providing resources to support students and staff over the winter break.
"Please keep Milton, his family, and the Ridgeway team in your thoughts during this incredibly difficult time," the Facebook post said.