The fifth victim of the solo car crash in Santa Ana on Saturday, April 5 that killed four others has been declared brain dead and placed on life support, police said Tuesday.
The victim, a student at Carr Intermediate School, was hospitalized in grave condition following the crash, according to Santa Ana Police Department spokesperson Officer Natalie Garcia. As of Tuesday morning, the girl had no brain activity and remained on life support.
Four passengers were pronounced dead at the scene, including three Santa Ana Valley High School students. They were identified as Natalia Vidal Zarate, 17, Jacqueline Torres Zarate, 16, Emmanuel Gonzalez Martinez, 18, who was the driver, and Arely Robles, 20, the Orange County Coroner’s office said.
The girl on life support was not identified. In addition, an unidentified 15-year-old Santa Ana Valley student survived.
The Lexus sedan was carrying two sets of sisters and another family member related to one of the pairs, Garcia said.
The crash occurred around 11:25 p.m., when the speeding sedan hit a tree in a median near Carl Thornton Park.
While there is speculation that drugs or alcohol may have played a role in the crash, police have not confirmed this and are still investigating, Garcia said. Investigators are also reviewing surveillance footage to determine whether any factors beyond speed contributed to the crash.
