Vigil honors two teenagers, ages 17 and 18, who were killed in a violent crash in Riverside

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) — A vigil was held Sunday evening to honor two teenagers who died in a violent accident in Riverside.

A group of friends gathered at the crash site and created a memorial with flowers and balloons.

Although authorities have not officially released the teens' identities, friends identified them as 17-year-old Jahseem and 18-year-old Alicia.

“He brought so many people together,” friend Israel De La Torre said of Jah. “Anyone he was friends with was automatically my friend because I knew him and was friends with him. He brought everyone together…only one great soul acted too soon. Alicia…I only met her a few times, but from what I could tell she was a great person.

The accident happened around 5:40 a.m. Sunday along Wood Road, north of Van Buren Boulevard.

According to the Riverside Police Department, a preliminary investigation revealed that a Lexus was traveling north on Wood Road at a high rate of speed when the driver ran a red light near Van Buren.

Police said the driver of a blue Scion was traveling west on Van Buren with a green light at the time and crashed into the Lexus.

“After the impact, the Lexus continued northbound, striking a concrete light pole, a wooden utility pole and a tree before coming to a stop and bursting into flames,” police said in a news release.

The driver of the Scion, who was only an adult male, was not injured and had no other passengers with him. He remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, police said.

The two teenagers were pronounced dead at the scene. A third passenger in the Lexus, a 17-year-old boy, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Police said: “Alcohol and drugs are suspected contributing factors in this collision, as well as the speed of the vehicle.”

The crash is still under investigation.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Traffic Detective Amanda Beeman at 951-826-8723 or [email protected].