On Friday night, a memorial service was held for 3 teens that died in an off-road accident in Santa Clarita.
At John Burroughs High School in Burbank, people lit candles and paid tribute to the students during a moving ceremony.
A student said, “It’s just really devastating”.
At about 7:15 a.m., the incident occurred near Rush Canyon Road just north of Highway 14, said the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
When the accident occurred, 5 individuals were riding in the vehicle. One sustained non-life threatening injuries, another sustained life-threatening injuries and 3 others were pronounced dead at the scene. Among the dead were the driver and a passenger, both men and a female passenger.
They have been identified by the police officers as driver Ian Bulbanko, Jake Gnasso and April Townsend.
The 2 survivors were taken to Henry Mayo Hospital in Valencia by air.
A passenger who reported the accident by mobile phone said the group was in the truck on Thursday night when the driver lost control and the accident happened. The group was stranded in the canyon overnight.
California Highway Patrol officer John Lutz said, “We’re not sure that it’s off-roading but what does concern us is that this area is a dangerous area. It’s not very well lit. It’s not intended for thoroughfare traffic”.
It is not confirmed whether alcohol was the reason of the accident.
Dominic, who is a student said, “I actually found out over Twitter, just people reacting to just, to the news”.
On Twitter, students are using the hashtag #burbankangels, a hashtag made last year after 5 students from different Burbank high schools, including John Burroughs, died due to a fiery accident that happened on the 5 Freeway in September 2013.
A students said, “It’s a wake-up call…two years in a row, it’s around the same time, it’s, it’s bad”.
Guidance counselors will be made available for the students and staff at John Burroughs High School.
News Source: www.NBCLosAngeles.com
