2 people dead, 3 others in critical condition after multi-vehicle crash in Anaheim
Two people are dead, and three others are in critical condition after a multi-vehicle crash in Anaheim on Tuesday morning.
Around 12:45 a.m., officers from the Anaheim Police Department noticed a silver Infiniti sedan driving at a high rate of speed near Cypress Street and Harbor Boulevard. When officers tried to catch up, the driver allegedly accelerated away from police.
"Our officer caught up to the vehicle, tried to initiate a traffic stop, but before the officer could even turn the lights on, the car turned off its lights, it blacked out, accelerated at a high rate of speed and it was gone," said Anaheim PD Sergeant Matt Sutter.
The APD said officers did not initiate a pursuit. A short time later, patrol units found a crash at Lincoln Avenue and Anaheim Boulevard.
Four vehicles were involved in the crash, including the silver Infiniti. Two people were pronounced dead at the scene, and three others were taken to local hospitals in critical condition, including the 19-year-old driver of the Infiniti that police say ran a red light and triggered the collision, according to APD officers.
Police identified one of the deceased as 70-year-old Orange resident Alberto Viveros Piedra.
"Tragic what happened to my uncle," said Piedra's nephew, Gerardo Reyes. Family members say that he was on his way home from work when the crash occurred early Tuesday morning. "Everybody goes through a hard time, I respect that. But, at the end of the day, we all gotta make better choices."
The second victim was identified by police as 14-year-old Anaheim High School student, Andrew Joseph Sanchez.
"Wow. You were such a young boy, and you had a whole life ahead of you, and it just got shook away just like that," said a classmate. "Over the wrong move, over kicking it with the wrong person."
Police say that Sanchez was the front-seat passenger in the Infiniti, and that two female Katella High School students were riding in the backseat.
They believe the silver Infiniti was struck by a blue sedan as it sped through the intersection, which caused it to then collide with a red sedan.
The intersection was closed for part of the morning commute as crews worked to clear the roadway.
