California

Teen Driver Charged With Manslaughter in Irvine Crash That Killed 5

Bradley Morales, who was 16 years old at the time, was taken into custody and booked into the Orange County Juvenile Detention Center

A teen driver who was involved in a fiery crash last year while returning home from Knott's Scary Farm has been charged in connection with the deaths of five other teenagers.

Bradley Morales, who was 16 years old at the time, was taken into custody and booked into the Orange County Juvenile Detention Center on Saturday- nearly one year after the crash.

Morales was charged with five felony counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, driving a motor vehicle without a driver's license and failure to show proof of financial responsibility in connection with the Oct. 4th, 2014, tragic collision on the 5 Freeway in Irvine.

"Our investigators took a great deal of time and painstakingly went over this case to ensure a thorough and comprehensive investigation was completed," Capt. R. Shackleford of the California Highway Patrol said in a statement.

The teenagers were on the southbound 5 Freeway in Irvine returning home from a night at the Halloween-themed event in Buena Park when the white BMW sedan struck a guardrail, rolled off an embankment and became fully engulfed in flames, according to investigators.

The teens were identified as Jennifer Bahena, 14 of Laguna Hills; Jennifer Campos, 15, of Aliso Viejo; Matthew Ivan Melo, 15, of Mission Viejo; Brandon Alejandro Moreno, 14, of Mission Viejo; and Alejandro (Alex) Sotelo, 14, of San Juan Capistrano, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Four teens were found dead inside the car and Morales was found outside the car about 50 yards away, investigators said. The body of another teen was discovered inside the vehicle several hours after the crash.

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