3 High School Girls Die After Ex-Boyfriend Allegedly Crashed Their Vehicle into Canal and Fled the Scene: Police

“Our hearts are with their families, friends, and all who knew and loved them,” a school official said about the three teens

NEED TO KNOW

A car collision in Othello, Wash., killed high school students Yaritzi “Yari” Flores-Romero, Melissa Romero-Espinoza and Iris Ramos Cruz on April 26
Authorities said the 19-year-old driver of a second car involved in the crash was arrested
Yaritzi, 15, was a member of her high school wrestling team

Three high school girls were killed after one of their ex-boyfriends allegedly crashed into their vehicle, sending it into a Washington state irrigation canal, and then fled the scene.

Two GoFundMe campaigns identified the three victims as Yaritzi “Yari” Flores-Romero, Melissa Romero-Espinoza and Iris Ramos Cruz, CBS affiliate KREM reported. All three were 15 years old, according to The Spokesman-Review.

In a social media post, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office said their deputies responded to a report of a rollover collision near Bench Road in Othello on Sunday, April 26.

“Upon arrival, three occupants were found deceased after being ejected during the crash, and the vehicle was recovered from an irrigation canal,” the sheriff’s office said.

Authorities added that a second vehicle, a white Mercedes sedan, was identified as being directly involved in the collision “by striking the victim vehicle at high rates of speed,” based on surveillance footage, witness accounts and scene processing

The sheriff’s office said that statements and evidence indicated that the suspect who drove the Mercedes sedan, later identified as Presiliano Perez-Pineda, 19, fled the scene.

Perez-Pineda “was later located and arrested on vehicular homicide charges times three, one of those charges will have a domestic violence enhancement [due] to his previous relationship with one of the victims,” the sheriff’s office said. Perez-Pineda was an ex-boyfriend of one of the girls, according to The Spokesman-Review.

The Othello School District confirmed in a Facebook post on Monday, April 27, that Yaritzi, Melissa and Iris were students at Othello High School.

“Our hearts are with their families, friends, and all who knew and loved them,” Superintendent Dr. Pete Perez wrote. “This loss is being felt across our schools and throughout our community, and we recognize that many are grieving.”

“We have been in contact with the families and will continue to support them during this incredibly difficult time,” Perez continued.

Yaritzi was a member of Othello High’s wrestling team, according to the Othello Lady Huskies Wrestling Facebook account.

“Our Othello wrestling community has lost a truly special teammate,” the post read. “Yari represented our team with unmatched tenacity and fearless determination. Even as a freshman, she was a role model in the wrestling room- someone others looked up to and drew energy from because of her aggressive, relentless style.”

“She will be missed not only as a fierce competitor, but as a genuine, fun-loving young woman who always carried a smile. We will remember her humor, her spirit, and her constant hunger to improve,” the tribute continued. “Yari, you will forever be missed and thank you for sharing your love of the sport with all of us.”

A GoFundMe established for Yaritzi and Melissa said their “absence has left a space that can never truly be filled, but their love, laughter, and the memories they gave us will remain with us forever.”

“We gather with heavy hearts to honor and remember two beloved members of our family whose lives were taken far too soon in a tragic car accident,” the organizer wrote.

Another GoFundMe was created for Iris’s family and noted she was a “girl who always shined wherever she went, she was a light to the world.”

“Iris had a bright future ahead of her. Our girl always dreamed of being a nail technician,” the tribute read. “She loved to get her nails done, but above all she loved spending time with her family and friends. We never imagined having lost our girl, she was a beautiful soul and impacted many lives, we will always miss our princess.”

The sheriff’s office said that Perez-Pineda’s bail was set at $1 million during a court hearing. An investigation is ongoing.