SOUTH LOS ANGELES, CA – A family is mourning the loss of an 18-year-old man who was killed Tuesday afternoon in a violent multi-vehicle crash in the Westmont area of South Los Angeles.
The Fatal Collision
The incident occurred around 2:00 p.m. at Vermont Avenue and 97th Street, just three blocks away from the victim’s home.
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), a driver speeding southbound in a Chevrolet Suburban slammed into a traffic pole and an Audi. The SUV then flipped over, smashing into several other cars, including the vehicle driven by 18-year-old Juan Manuel Sanchez Salas. He was tragically pronounced dead at the scene.
Remembering Juan Manuel Sanchez Salas
Sanchez Salas had moved to Los Angeles from Mexico less than a year ago to live with his father and study English. His family describes him as a happy, ambitious, and deeply responsible young man.
“He would just go to school, to the gym. From there, he would come home and go to work again. He used to cut hair as well,” his cousin, Maria Sanchez, said. “It sucks that he’s gone because he had so many ambitious goals.”
While his father resides in the U.S., his mother and two siblings still live in Mexico. The family is now calling for a full investigation, stating they want justice for what happened.
Investigation Into Medical Emergency
CHP investigators revealed that the driver who allegedly caused the multi-car pileup is a man in his 70s. Authorities believe he may have been experiencing a sudden medical emergency at the time of the crash.
Both the elderly driver and his passenger were transported to a local hospital, where they remain in critical condition. The investigation into the exact cause of the crash is ongoing.
