'Unreal' crash that killed 5 SoCal teens spurs reckoning over alcohol culture

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Days before the Santa Maria community was set to celebrate high school graduation, the lives of five teens were snuffed out when a speeding car slammed into a traffic-signal pole, authorities said.The cause of the collision early Sunday remains under investigation, but evidence collected at the scene suggests that alcohol played a role, according to the Santa Maria Police Department.The tragedy has sent this Southern California agricultural community reeling and raised questions about what more can be done to prevent youth drinking and driving.Edwin Weaver, the president of Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley, said he was rocked by news of the crash, which took place days after the nonprofit organization conducted a DUI awareness workshop at a local high school.

“We personally knew several of the children in the car, so it hits very close to home,” he said.“I couldn’t believe that somehow the message we have been trying to drive into these young people didn’t stick.”The five deceased victims were identified as Isabella Star Vigil, 16; Beatrice Gamez Escalante, 16; Nicolas Munoz-Gautreaux, 17; Yusbeli Diaz Galvez, 17; and Jennifer Gutierrez, 19.

The sole survivor, Aurelio Calixtro Matias, 24, suffered critical injuries and remained hospitalized as of Thursday, police said.Police have not yet determined whether this was a DUI incident, publicly identified the driver or made any arrests.Chair of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors Bob Nelson called for a moment of silence in Tuesday’s meeting in memory of the teens who were killed, calling the tragedy “a sobering reminder of the fragility of life.”On Wednesday, Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley, which focuses on the impact of drug and alcohol use on local youth and families, held an emergency meeting with local elected leaders, school officials and members of the public health department as a call to action....