Driver arrested after Whittier rollover crash kills high school student

Police arrested a 19-year-old on suspicion of drunk driving, after a car he was driving lost control in Whittier and rolled over, killing a high school student inside.

Daniel Vasquez was released from the hospital Tuesday, taken to jail and booked on suspicion of felony DUI and vehicular manslaughter, Whittier police said.

Police said the crash happened around 11:30 a.m. in the 8400 block of Villaverde Drive.

Vasquez had been driving at a high speed in an SUV with five juvenile passengers, according to the preliminary investigation. The driver lost control, veered onto the sidewalk and struck a large brick mailbox before the car rolled over, coming to rest on its roof, police said.

The 14-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. Two female passengers, 16 and 14 years old, were taken to a trauma center, as well as a 15-year-old boy and 14-year-old girl.

In a statement, Whittier Union High School District Assistant Supt. of Educational Services Loring Davies identified the dead girl as a La Serna High School student.

“It is with great sadness that I let you all know that there was a car crash outside the La Serna campus this morning involving an adult driver and five [La Serna] students,” Davies said. “One of our students was killed in the crash, the other four were injured.”

The district and the police department are working to determine the details around the accident, Davies said in the statement.

“The district will work with [La Serna] to ensure counselors are available to all students and staff through the week,” Davies said.

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