A teen will spend Christmas in the hospital after a Jeep he was riding in flipped while doing "donuts" in Chino Hills, his family said Wednesday.
"He's a good boy," Trish Kashou said of her son, a popular 16-year-old student at Ayala High School.
Michel Kashou was riding with friends in his Jeep Friday night in Oak Ridge Park.
Witnesses and deputies said the Jeep was doing "donuts" when it suddenly flipped.
"He crushed his pelvis, his bladder was damaged," Trish said.
When it flipped, he was crushed under the car and temporarily trapped. After crews extracted him, he was transferred to the hospital to undergo surgery, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department confirmed.
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"It hurts. He's like my little big brother," Jessica, Michel’s sister, said. "I just get emotional every time."
Cole Serventi, a friend, was one of four passengers.
"We were all fooling around. It's stupid," Serventi said.
He said some weren't wearing seat belts, and Michel was sitting with his upper body hanging outside of the car window when the Jeep flipped over on top of him.
"He was under there for about a half an hour," Serventi said. "He was getting crushed by the roll cage."
When firefighters finally got Michael out, he was quickly airlifted to Loma Linda Medical Center.
"He went into cardiac arrest at the scene," his mother said.
Trish said doesn't want to discuss whether she believes criminal charges should be filed against the driver. Right now, she said she is just focusing on her son’s long recovery, and hoping others will learn from this.
"Mistakes have a reason," Matthew Acosta, a friend, said. "And you have to learn from your mistakes."
Serventi echoed his friend’s words.
"Nobody is invincible," Serventi said. "You gotta think about what you do before you do it."
If you would like to help with Michael’s medical expenses, please visit the family's fund website.
