Tragedy in Rancho Cucamonga: Three Young People Dead After Police Chase

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Tragedy in Rancho Cucamonga

In San Bernardino, a tragic police chase ended in a violent crash when a 2018 Hyundai, driven by an individual suspected of driving under the influence, collided with a white Ford Mustang at the intersection of 16th Street and Mountain Avenue in Upland. The incident began around 1:45 a.m. when San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies attempted to stop the Hyundai driver, who refused to pull over and sped off at high speed to evade authorities. The Ontario Police Department's Aviation Unit assisted officers by tracking the suspect vehicle from the air. Approximately six minutes into the pursuit, the Hyundai, traveling westbound on 16th Street in Upland, entered the intersection at Mountain Avenue and collided violently with a Ford Mustang that was not involved in the chase. The impact was so severe that the Hyundai split into three parts and caught fire after striking a pole. Footage captured by Sky5 showed the accident scene, with debris from the Hyundai and Mustang scattered across the intersection. Tragically, four out of five occupants of the Hyundai lost their lives in the crash. Among the victims were three teenagers: Jesus Guillen Jr., 16, from Fontana; Michael Adrian Gomez, 17, from Pomona; and Joel Jeremiah Silva, 16, also from Fontana. A 13-year-old boy who was also traveling in the Hyundai was rushed to a nearby hospital and is expected to survive. As for the Ford Mustang, its two occupants, a 35-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman, both from Ontario, were taken to the hospital as a precaution. During the investigation, authorities discovered that the Hyundai had been reported stolen and a loaded firearm was found in possession of one of the deceased. Currently, there are three parallel investigations underway to clarify all aspects of the incident. The Rancho Cucamonga station of the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department is investigating the pursuit, while the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office is investigating the causes and circumstances of the suspects' deaths and working on identifying the fourth deceased. Meanwhile, the Upland Police Department is conducting an investigation into the crash. Anyone with relevant information about this tragic incident is urged to contact the Rancho Cucamonga station of the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department at 909-477-2800. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call the WeTip hotline at 800-782-7463 or leave tips online at www.wetip.com.