Anaheim freeway crash kills three Orange County teenagers

Three teenagers were killed following a single-vehicle crash on the southbound 5 Freeway in Anaheim early Thursday morning. The accident occurred near the Lincoln Avenue exit around 3:15 a.m. when a white Ford Edge SUV veered off the roadway, striking a metal guardrail and a concrete pillar before overturning.

The Orange County Coroner identified the deceased as 17-year-old Victor Hugo Delgado of Santa Ana, 16-year-old Miguel Gutierrez-Avalos of Santa Ana, and 15-year-old Levi Jacob Flores of Garden Grove. Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while the third died after being transported to a hospital. A fourth occupant of the vehicle survived but remains in critical condition.

Investigators from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) noted that none of the occupants appeared to be wearing seat belts. While a definitive cause has not been established, officials are investigating speed as a potential factor. A witness suggested the driver may have missed the off-ramp and lost control during a late attempt to exit. Authorities have not ruled out the influence of drugs or alcohol.