Driver fled head-on crash in Dallas that killed 2 teens, injured 3 others
DALLAS - Dallas police are searching for the driver of a pickup truck who fled the scene of a head-on crash with an SUV Friday night that killed two teenagers and injured three others.
The wreck happened just after 9 p.m., in the 13900 block of Esperanza Road.
Police said the pickup was going south on Esperanza Rd., west of Highway 75 in Far North Dallas, when the driver crossed into oncoming traffic, slamming head-on into the SUV.
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The driver of the pickup ran away.
Five juveniles in the SUV were taken to hospitals. The driver and front passenger in the SUV were later pronounced dead. The three other juveniles suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Family of the teen victims said they were on their way to get food at the time of the crash.
Family said 16-year-old Crystal Pineda was behind the wheel and her 15-year-old brother, Andres Pineda, was in the passenger seat.
"It happens out of nowhere. The last phone call I got from her was at 8:49 p.m. and this happened at 9 p.m." the victims' mother, Eloisa Morales, recalled.
The siblings were pronounced dead at the hospital.
"That is not fair. They were young and had a whole life ahead of them. They had dreams, you know," the victims’ stepmom, Daniela Martinez, said.
"They were best friends. They always said they were twins," Martinez said about the siblings.
Morales said Crystal and Andres attended JJ Pearce High School in Richardson.
Their fellow classmates, along with extended family, carried flowers to the crash site, unable to comprehend two lives are now gone.
Police are continuing to search for the driver of the pickup truck, whose identity is not yet known.
"He just left instead of him helping my kids," Morales said. "At least get them out of the car. If you would’ve done that, they maybe wouldn’t have been dead."
Video from the scene shows investigators placing drink containers in an evidence bag from inside the pickup.
The suspect left his car at the scene. Now, the pickup truck is part of the investigation for Dallas police.
Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call Dallas police or email Det. Kenneth Watson at kenneth.watson@dallascityhall.com.