CHP report: Seven teens in police pursuit, DUI-related crash in Los Banos
The 16-year-old driver who crashed a van full of current and former Pacheco High School football players Friday night was placed under arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence of marijuana, evading police and driving without a license, according to a California Highway Patrol report released Tuesday.
The driver was later released from custody that night, Los Banos CHP Officer Dean Emehiser said.
Seven Los Banos teenagers were injured in the crash, according to the report.
Four of the teenagers were 15-year-old boys. Two were 16 years old, including the driver. And one passenger was 18.
According to the report, at 11:10 p.m. Friday in Los Banos police requested California Highway Patrol’s assistance investigating a traffic collision on Dove Street at Highway 165.
A Los Banos police officer attempted to make an enforcement stop on the 1998 Ford Winstar carrying the seven teenagers, according to the report. The driver failed to yield and led Los Banos police on a short pursuit before driving into an irrigation ditch and colliding with the dirt embankment.
Los Banos Cmdr. Jason Hedden on Saturday told the Sun-Star a Los Banos police officer had spotted the van swerving on Quail Street and pulled it over.
The sliding door of the van opened, Hedden said, but the van accelerated away from the officer at a high rate of speed.
Hedden also said the car had a strong odor of marijuana.
The report states that the driver and six passengers suffered minor injuries. Three were taken to Memorial North Hospital in Modesto. The driver and another passenger went to Los Banos Memorial Hospital, and the other two passengers were transported to Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock.
The collision remained under investigation Tuesday, Emehiser said, adding that it wasn’t known if any other drugs or alcohol were involved.
On Saturday, Pacheco High’s head football coach David Snapp told the Merced Sun-Star that two of the teenagers are current football players and three are former football players.
When called late Tuesday afternoon, Snapp referred questions to the Los Banos Unified School District for comment about any disciplinary measures the team may take. School district officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This story was originally published May 31, 2016 at 5:28 PM with the headline "CHP report: Seven teens in police pursuit, DUI-related crash in Los Banos."