Sun.AM wreck on 98/ teen killed

[jodiFL]

One of three teenagers riding in a van that crashed and flipped over has died. The Florida Highway Patrol says the accident happened around 5:30 this morning on Highway 98, just west of Sugar Drive in Walton County.
Troopers say the 16 year-old driver of a 2000 Chevy van was driving east on 98 in the inside lane, when he ran off the road. The driver tried to steer back onto the roadway but overcorrected.
The van began spinning and then rolled over, landing upside down.
A 17 year-old passenger in the backseat was partially ejected and died at the scene. The teen was not carrying identification.
The 16 year-old driver and 22 year-old passenger escaped with minor injuries. The driver faces charges of careless driving and no valid drivers license.

story here
Just wondering if anyone here had any info on this. I asked at SWHS this AM but they didnt know anything about it. Hope its not anyone we know. Too sad.

 

[SHELLY]

From FWB Mulletwrapper:

.........The victim was a passenger in a Chevrolet van driven by Esteban Torres-Garcia, 16, the report said. The vehicle was traveling east when it left the roadway and entered the grass median.
Torres-Garcia attempted to re-enter the highway, but overcorrected, causing the van to spin, the report said. The van slid across the roadway and into the grass on the other side, where it overturned.
The unidentified teen who died in the accident was partially ejected as the vehicle rolled, the report said. He had no identification and troopers were attempting to contact next of kin.
Another passenger, 22-year-old Jesus Maldonado, suffered minor injuries, the report said.
Alcohol was not a factor in the crash, according to the release. The two survivors were wearing seatbelts. The victim was not belted.

/

 

[ShallowsNole]

I haven't heard if the kids were local. Yet.

But it's awful in any event.

 

[Minnie]

We saw it, at least after it happened. The van was really torn up and it was packed heavily with belongings which can be deadly in a roll over.

Also I know it is natural to jerk the wheel when you run off the road, but when I was teaching Driver's Ed. we worked so hard with our teens about the proper way to recover.

Stay in the area where you are, don't try to jerk back into the lane, slow down and break slowly and then move slowly back onto the road.

Almost all roll overs are due to over compensating when returning to the road.

 

[seacrestkristi]

Grayt advice, Minnie!

 

[TreeFrog]

We saw it, at least after it happened. The van was really torn up and it was packed heavily with belongings which can be deadly in a roll over.

Also I know it is natural to jerk the wheel when you run off the road, but when I was teaching Driver's Ed. we worked so hard with our teens about the proper way to recover.

Stay in the area where you are, don't try to jerk back into the lane, slow down and break slowly and then move slowly back onto the road.

Almost all roll overs are due to over compensating when returning to the road.

Strongly agreed.

Just keep going straight, ease out of the throttle, don't brake hard, don't steer hard. As you get it slowed, you can GENTLY steer it back toward the road. You need to rejoin the pavement very nearly parallel to the road. If you're all crossed up, you'll either spin, shoot across to the other lane, roll over, or all the above.

 

[olive]

Strongly agreed.

Just keep going straight, ease out of the throttle, don't brake hard, don't steer hard. As you get it slowed, you can GENTLY steer it back toward the road. You need to rejoin the pavement very nearly parallel to the road. If you're all crossed up, you'll either spin, shoot across to the other lane, roll over, or all the above.

I had a good friend in high school who died because he too ran off the road and then flipped when he over-corrected. So sad and totally avoidable if you know what to do.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I thought the 6am news, WMBB ch 13 out of PC, stated that the driver was not licensed, though I may have not heard correctly. Perhaps they stated that he was unidentified.

 

[jodiFL]

I haven't heard if the kids were local. Yet.

But it's awful in any event.

i found out from the school yesterday that they were from Freeport.