Upgraded Charges Likely In Crash That Shattered Long Island Family

RIDGE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A family was mourning the loss of a mother, her two grown children, and a friend who were together in one car.

With Middle Country Road now reopened, a friend of the victims drove by with a heavy heart.

"Could you just imagine your whole family dying in one car, the mother, the son, the daughter," Victoria Smith said.

Friends and family say the victims who perished in the burning vehicle were Jackie McCoy of Calverton, her two grown children; son Anthony McCoy and his girlfriend, and daughter Mary Alice Booker.

The family was driving together. They were rear-ended by a speeding stolen car -- driver Jamel Turner, 23, of Bellport is now hospitalized and awaiting arraignment. Also killed in the four vehicle wreck was his passenger; 19-year-old Lonidell Skinner.

"I think that was sad. Other people's lives were taken who had nothing to do with it," Natasia Nash said.

In the moments leading up to the crash police transmissions show patrol units were in communication with On Star following the stolen Camero.

If a stolen car is in sight and conditions are safe, On Star can send a signal to remotely slow the vehicle down while maintaining steering and braking functions.

Suffolk Police said On Star then asked a dispatcher on a separate phone line to make sure it was safe to do the slow down.

Before the order could be given, the car crashed.

Charges against Turner could be upgraded to reflect that his alleged theft of a car resulted in five deaths. Police say it could take months to formally identify the victims in the car through DNA.

The stolen car's black box will be evaluated to determine how fast it was going.