A teenager who was in a vehicle that slammed into a tree on a dark road Saturday in Santiago Canyon has succumbed to his injuries, making him the second person to die in the crash that also injured three other people, authorities said.
The driver, Joshua Morales, 19, of Santa Ana and a 17-year-old Garden Grove boy died in the crash, California Highway Patrol said.
Orange County coroner’s officials identified the victim from Garden Grove as Colton Mondy. Loved ones spelled the victim’s first name as Coleton.
Three other passengers, Luis Hernandez, 19 and Unique Valdez, 18, both of Garden Grove, and Daniel Clark, 18, of Santa Ana, all suffered major injuries, according to CHP.
The crash happened on Santiago Canyon Road, just south of Hicks Haul Road in the unincorporated Silverado community at around 2:45 a.m. when the teenagers’ Mazda Protege left the roadway, went through a barb-wire fence and slammed into the tree, CHP said. O.C. Fire Authority officials initially described the car as a Honda Accord.
It is unknown what caused the car to leave the roadway.
Morales was pronounced dead at the scene and the four other passengers were transported to local hospitals, authorities said
Mondy later succumbed to his injuries at UCI Medical Center, CHP said.
The other three passengers are still being treated and are in moderate to critical condition, CHP said.
No further details were available.
Funds have been established online to aid the families of Mondy, Morales and Clark.
