OTHELLO, Wash. — Three 15-year-old girls from Othello High School were killed Sunday afternoon in a high-speed crash that has left their community devastated.
The victims have been identified as Yaritzi Flores-Romero, Melissa Romero-Espinoza, and Iris Ramos-Cruz. All three students died when their pickup truck collided with a white Mercedes on Bench Road, roughly a mile away from the Adams County Fairgrounds.
Adams County Sheriff deputies responded to the crash and found all three girls had been ejected from the vehicle. The pickup truck was recovered from an irrigation canal, and all three teens were pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the white Mercedes fled the scene after the crash. Later that day, 19-year-old Presiliano Perez-Pineda was arrested on three counts of vehicular homicide. He is being held behind bars on $1 million bond.
Family members of one of the victims visited the crash site to pray, describing the experience as a nightmare they are still waiting to wake up from. Yaritzi’s grandmother brought candles to the site, covering the flame to make sure it doesn’t go out.
Yaritzi’s family said their daughter had just celebrated her quinceañera, or sweet 15 party.
At Othello High School, students and staff are still shaken from the news. Although only a freshman, Yaritzi was a varsity wrestler. Her assistant wrestling coach, Julian Mendez, found out about the crash on Sunday.
“It was just pretty much a blur the whole afternoon and probably until today, you know. It just feels like it’s not real,” Mendez said.
Abraham Gonzalez, another girls assistant wrestling coach, remembered Yaritzi’s character and work ethic.
“She was really kind and she was always respectful. Pretty quiet, but she was one of the hardest workers in the wrestling room,” Gonzalez said.
Friends also remembered Iris, who had dreams of becoming a nail technician and would practice on clients during her free time.
The three families of the Othello teens are now planning funerals in the weeks ahead as they reel from this loss.
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