Suspected driver in crash that killed Las Vegas teens out of jail
The suspected drunken driver in the fiery crash that killed three Las Vegas students in Southern California has been released from police custody.
Bani Duarte, 27, posted bail Sunday morning, jail records show. She landed in the Orange County Sheriff’s jail three days earlier on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Centennial High School students Dylan Mack, Brooke Hawley and Albert “A.J.” Rossi were killed in the crash. Alexis Vargas survived the collision but suffered burns and a concussion, according to his gofundme page.
The crash happened shortly before 1:10 a.m. Thursday on the Pacific Coast Highway, where Huntington Beach police said Duarte rear-ended Dylan’s red Toyota while it was stopped at a light. The impact pushed the Toyota through the intersection, forcing it onto a sidewalk and into a pole.
The Toyota was smoking, and a police officer tried to rescue the others when the car burst into flames, police said.
The four were in Huntington Beach for spring break. The trip was Dylan’s first with the car he had recently bought, his family said, but according to the Orange County coroner’s office, Brooke was driving the car at the time of the crash. The three students were set to graduate in June.
Duarte, a receptionist from San Clemente, California, is accused of driving under the influence and vehicular manslaughter.
A vigil is planned at 7 p.m. today on the football field at Centennial, 10200 W. Centennial Parkway. A vigil will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Huntington Beach Pier, 1 Main St.
Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.