Posted on 06/30/2009 8:04:56 AM PDT by CedarDave
One minute they were a bunch of carefree teenagers headed to somebody's house to “hang out.”
The next minute four of them were dead, one critically injured and others on their cell phones describing for dispatchers the horrific crash scene east of Santa Fe.
“Tell someone to get out here. It's really bad. I mean, half the (expletive) car is gone,” pleads Mikhail McReynolds, the first caller to reach dispatchers. “I think people might be dead.”
Kate Klein, Alyssa Trouw, an Julian Martinez, all 16, and Rose Simmons 15 were killed shortly after midnight Sunday when the Subaru in which they were riding swerved to avoid the Jeep that 27-year-old Scott Owens was driving in the wrong lane on Old Las Vegas Highway, according to investigators.
Owens then swerved into the Subaru and broadsided it, according to the sheriff's office.
Avree Koffman, the driver of the Subaru, was the only survivor in that car and remains in University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. The Subaru was one of a group of cars headed to a party in Eldorado southeast of Santa Fe.
Officers said they detected an odor of alcohol on Owens and said he had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.
(Excerpt) Read more at abqjournal.com ...
Link to a better story but since AP will give link only:
4 teens killed in NM highway crash
The 911 calls have been released and friends of those in the first car who were following were the first to arrive and describe the scene. There is a link to the calls below. Warning, they are graphic with graphic language.
Suspect's exam revealed no addiction
Northern NM roads can be death traps after dark on weekends with drunk drivers everywhere. Drive in daylight if you are going to visit.
Poor girls. I wonder what their chances would have been had they been in a...gasp...evil SUV?
Hi Dave. This is tragic. My prayers for all these kids and their families. Truly horrific.
A good reason not to have your 15/16 year-olds out driving around after midnight.
As in too many of these cases, the perp survives. The drunken bastards who cause accidents like this should be the ones to die.
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“I wonder what their chances would have been had they been in a...gasp...evil SUV?”
####
A HIGHLY legitimate question.
They still may not have survived, but yes, their chances would have been much better. The elevation out of the roadbed alone is of tremendous advantage.
Didn't see that...thanks...
Good point. Teenagers of that age shouldn't be out at midnight...agreed.
I always resented my parents making curfew at 10pm (their bedtime) and said that when I went off to college, as an adult, I could stay out as late as I wanted to. Now, being older, I thank them for being so stern with me.
The vehicle in post # “was” and SUV. However so far all seven passenders are still living.
Thanks, greyfoxx. Horrific accident. You just don’t drive in northern NM after dark on weekends. Kids were all high achievers. Their friends who were behind them and saw the whole thing will need help and counseling to get through this.
The dumbest story I ever heard was five (5) teenage boys taking their dad's BMW M5 out on a runway to see how fast it would go......
For some reason, no one in the car figured out that aircraft runways, do eventually end.
IIRC the car left the freeway at 150+ MPH and flew into a 300 year old tree. The police/EMT at the scene said that it was the most gruesome scene they ever encountered and that they had to use DNAblood types to match the body parts together.
Even the superior safety of a BMW can't compete with mother natures's laws of physics
40 years ago my old football coach used to tell us "Boys, nothing good happens after midnight." We used to snicker but he was right. Lots of formerly rich and living NFL players would have benefited from his advice.
When I was a brat...I would have hated that law, until of course it was too late. Wish we would do that here.
According to my mother it was 11:00 PM.
Condolences to the families of those involved.
“Kate Klein, Alyssa Trouw, an Julian Martinez, all 16, and Rose Simmons 15 were killed shortly after midnight Sunday when the Subaru in which...”
I’m sorry these poor kids died.
Having said that, I have to say this: four teenagers, not a single one of them over age 16, out past midnight on a Sunday night (yes, even though it’s summer)...not a good idea.
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