Driver in crash that killed Ceres schoolmate faces vehicular manslaughter charge
The 17-year-old driver in a crash last month that killed a passenger was arrested Tuesday, according to the Ceres Police Department.
The Central Valley High School student, whose name was not released because of his age, was booked into juvenile hall on charges of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and driving without a license.
The crash happened just after 3 p.m. March 11 on the 4200 block of Blaker Road, less than a mile from the high school. The car had struck a power pole and tree and then overturned.
Responding Ceres police and California Highway Patrol officers found that one passenger had been ejected from the car and that the driver and two others remained inside. The boy who was thrown from the car, and who died at the scene, was identified as Sergio Alfaro, 16.
The driver and the other two passengers, ages 16 and 17, suffered minor to moderate injuries, police said.
The Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation team investigated the circumstances that led to this traffic collision. Early on, a department spokesman said speed appeared to be a factor in the crash, but not alcohol or drugs.
This story was originally published April 1, 2020 at 7:11 AM.
