2 girls killed by vehicle near Downey High School in Modesto identified

Two girls fatally wounded after a vehicle struck them Friday night as they were walking to a football game at Downey High School have been identified, Modesto police said.

The Modesto Police Department identified the two as friends Camila Magallon Mendoza, 16, and Nicole Alexandra Coltzojay, 14.

Magallon Mendoza died that same night in an area hospital. Monday afternoon, Coltzojay was declared brain dead in a hospital, with the family saying it was expected she would be taken off life support.

"They did the last exam, and we had a little bit of hope, but there's no reaction," Coltzojay's cousin Jennifer Mancia told CBS News Sacramento on Monday.

Investigators said the two were walking in a crosswalk on Coffee Road just before 8:50 p.m. when they were struck by the vehicle, which was driving south on Coffee Road.

"We are thinking of their families, friends, and everyone affected by this heartbreaking tragedy. No words can ease what they are going through, but we hope they know our community is holding them close," Modesto police said in a statement.    

Officers stationed at the football game arrived first and began CPR. Both girls were taken to nearby hospitals, where one of them died from her injuries, police confirmed. The second girl died the next day. Both girls were students at Modesto High School.

"I just seen the two girls laying on the pavement over there, and I think one was unresponsive. The other one, she came to after a few minutes of CPR. And it's just a tragedy, man. I mean, they're young. It just sucks, but I'm praying for them and their families," said Michael Gutierrez, a Modesto resident who witnessed the aftermath of the crash.   

People who live in the area told CBS News Sacramento that the section of Coffee Road where the crash happened is not well lit, and that the crosswalk the teens were struck in does not have reflectors.

"People always walking here late at night. You would think you'd be safe walking down the street. But then, a tragedy like this happened. You don't know when — where you're safe. You know, it's dark," said Mario Gutierrez, a Modesto resident.

The driver of the vehicle is cooperating with police and was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Investigators are still working to determine what led up to the crash.

"Our hearts go out to the families of the two young students who were hit by a car Friday night. There are no words that can adequately express the pain of such an unimaginable loss," the Modesto Teachers Association said in a statement released on Sunday. "As teachers, we spend six hours a day with your children ... They become our family, too. Watching this tragedy unfold has broken our hearts."