Four family members died after a crash sent their car tumbling and erupting into flames. Tony Shin reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 09, 2017.
Four relatives that spanned generations have died in a two-car collision in Highland, authorities said Tuesday.
The crash occurred around 2:30 p.m. on Palm Avenue and Cypress Street, authorities said. Surveillance footage shows a Ford Taurus and an Acura TL colliding, and the Ford rolling onto its roof and catching fire.
A San Bernardino Sheriff's Department statement says three people in the Ford died immediately, and a fourth occupant of that car died hours later at a hospital. The death toll later rose to four.
"I feel terrible," said Joshua Venegas, whose little brother and sister died in the crash.
The collision claimed the lives of Venegas' great-grandfather, 83-year-old Juan Perez, his 16-year-old cousin Nick Luna, brother 7-year-old Aiden and sister 8-year-old Vanessa.
Venegas' mother, Diana, was more than devastated -- she is still mourning the death of her 19-year-old, who also died in a car crash last year.
"I feel heartbroken. It's really horrible. They don't deserve something like that," said Valerie Hermosillo, a relative of the victims.
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In the surveillance video, the family's Ford Taurus was turning left onto Cypress Street from Palm Avenue when it was suddenly struck by the Acura, which was heading south on Palm. The impact sent the Taurus tumbling, erupting into flames.
Passerby are seen rushing out and trying to take out the flames with fire extinguishers.
One witness described 16-year-old Luna rolling out of the wreckage, badly burned.
"He was just saying, 'help me, help,'" Jesse Lopez recalled. "At the moment, I knew he would be ok -- but you know, I was wrong."
Luna leaves behind a nine-month-old baby.
The driver of the Acura suffered multiple injuries and was reported in critical condition.
The crash occurred in an intersection that Highland residents say desperately needs a traffic light.
"A lot of people treat this street like it's a freeway and it's dangerous," Nasaria Becerra Valadez said.
A spokesperson with the city of Highland told NBC4 there were already plans to put a traffic light in the intersection, but it wouldn't be installed until early next year.
"If there was just one simple light, there would still be a world with my great grandpa, my cousin, my baby brother and sister," Venegas said.
The cause of the crash was under investigation. No suspects were taken into custody.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
