California twins, 16, among three killed in horrific Christmas car crash, cops say no alcohol was involved
ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: Students at Dublin High School were shocked and heartbroken after they lost three classmates in a fatal car crash on Christmas night. The accident took place in Pleasanton, California.
While twin brothers Mark and Michael Urista, 16, lost their lives in the crash, the third victim was identified as Javier Ramirez, also 16. Another high school student, Samantha Vargas Arceo, was hurt in the crash. There was another student in the car whose name was not released.
The car that the teens were in hit an electricity pole and then rammed into a tree on Foothill Road near Castlewood Drive.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has not been able to confirm the cause behind the crash. They suspect that the car was speeding. However, CHP does not think that there was any influence of alcohol involved.
As word of the crash spread across social media, people brought flowers and candles to the site, prayed and offered condolences to the victims' families.
A candlelight vigil was held to remember the deceased at the Dublin High School on Sunday, December 29.
The school district released a statement and called the incident a 'devastating loss' to the community, Fox reported. "Our entire community is mourning the loss of three Dublin High School students whose lives were taken much too soon," read the statement.
"We’d like to share our deepest condolences to the family and friends of our students and let them know they are in our thoughts during this difficult time," the statement continued.
Jesus Hernandez, a Dublin High School sophomore, said that he knew all the victims and was closest to Javier. "I had a class with him this year. Javier would always light up the classroom and made it seem way more fun," he shared. Hernandez went on to say about the three deceased: "They were really good people with really big hearts."
Friends of the Urista family started a GoFundMe donation drive to help the kin.