2 teens killed when speeding BMW barrels onto sidewalk after crash, Virginia cops say
Two teens were killed and a third was critically hurt in a traffic crash that sent a car barreling onto the sidewalk as they walked from school in Virginia, authorities say.
Two cars collided Tuesday, June 7, at the intersection of Blake Lane and Five Oaks Road near Oakton High School in Vienna, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. Officers responded to the scene just after 11:45 a.m.
The driver of a white BMW was headed south on Blake Lane at “a high rate of speed” when it struck a green Toyota 4Runner attempting to turn left onto Five Oaks Road, police Maj. Eli Cory told reporters at a news briefing Tuesday. The driver of the Toyota was waiting for a group of pedestrians to clear the intersection before making the turn.
The teens had just crossed the street when the two cars collided, Cory said, causing the BMW to “ricochet off the side of the road, hit the three pedestrians (and) hit a pole on the side of the road” before coming to a rest further down the road.
Five people were taken to a hospital, three of them with life-threatening injuries, according to police. Two of the teens later died while a third remains hospitalized. Their condition wasn’t known as of Wednesday, June 8.
The 18-year-old driver of the BMW and a passenger were treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, police said, while the driver of the Toyota 4Runner was treated at the scene.
Authorities confirmed that all three who were hit after crossing the street were students at Oakton High School. Their names weren’t released, pending notification of family.
School had let out early that day, with just three days to go before the start of summer break, according to the school’s website.
“We are devastated to learn this news and are grieving the loss of these students,” principal Jamie S. Lane wrote in a letter to the school community on Tuesday. “Our deepest condolences extend to all families impacted. At this time, we are unable to share any additional information.”
Lane added that crisis counselors would be on hand for students and staff members “as we all process this terrible news together.”
All three passengers in the BMW were under the age of 18, according to police. Two of them fled the scene of the crash but have since been identified, Cory said.
Police haven’t confirmed if they also attended the high school, but a parent wrote on Facebook that their son graduated from Oakton last week and knew the driver, who also graduated.
“I’m beyond words and sad beyond belief,” they wrote. “No parent should have to deal with this.”
So far no charges have been filed, and police said the crash remains under investigation.
Vienna is about 20 miles west of Washington, DC.
This story was originally published June 8, 2022 at 11:44 AM.