A third teenager from San Bernardino has died following a high-speed police pursuit crash in Fontana that seriously injured two police officers, as well as the driver of the car being chased.
The 20-second pursuit, which reached speeds over 100 mph, occurred Saturday night after the driver, whose identity has not been released, refused to comply with a traffic stop, police said. Two passengers in the white Nissan Sentra being chased, later identified as 15-year-old Robert Rias and 14-year-old Domonic Adams Jr., died at the scene after the driver crashed into a police car on Valley Boulevard and Cypress Avenue, police said in a statement Monday.
The driver and another passenger were hospitalized after the crash. The passenger, 15-year-old Omari Pitts, later died from his injuries.
On Monday, Rialto Unified School District officials confirmed the three teenagers who died were students at Carter High School in Rialto.
“The district is heartbroken in the loss of our three young students. Social-emotional support for students and staff began this morning and will continue at Carter High School and schools where students and staff have been impacted. The district also wishes the three surviving individuals a full recovery. This will be a challenging week for our education community but we will remain resilient,” Rialto Unified School District spokesperson Syeda Jafri said in a statement.
The driver is being treated for serious injuries, police said. It is unclear whether the individual was also a student or what their relationship was to the three teens who died.
One injured officer was released from the hospital Monday. The other officer is continuing to receive treatment for his injuries, Fontana Officer Steven Reed said.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the families, friends, and all those affected by this heartbreaking loss. We recognize the profound impact that incidents like these have on our community, and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone touched by this tragedy,” the Fontana Police Department said in a statement.
