CLEVELAND — Four people have died in an overnight crash in Cleveland after a vehicle — which police say was listed as stolen — crashed into two trees on West 106th Street early Wednesday morning.
Two of the victims have been identified by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office as 19-year-old Caurie Williams and 18-year-old Eddy Bonner, both of Cleveland. The two other victims were 14-year-old girls.
Todd said the vehicle, which was a 2014 Hyundai Sonata, had been reported stolen on Feb. 27 from an address in the second district on Wichita.
“This is an absolute tragedy to have four young people killed in this type of tragic accident,” Todd said.
Prior to the press conference, Cleveland police told 3News they responded to the scene after receiving a call about the crash around 12:39 a.m. Wednesday.
“Initial information revealed a vehicle was traveling northbound on West 106th at what appears to be excessive speed,” according to an email from Sergeant Wilfredo Diaz of the Cleveland Division of Police.
Diaz said the vehicle lost control, went off the roadway and struck two trees.
“Three of the occupants were ejected, the driver was not,” according to Diaz. “All four were pronounced deceased at the scene.”
Kenneth Boyle lives near the crash site and says he heard the car speeding along the street. A camera from his home also captured the moment of the wreck.
“It had to have been doing 100 or better, and then the next minute I hear … a crash,” Boyle said. “It’s terrible. You don’t want nobody to die, especially that way.”
Photos from the scene showed the vehicle smashed up into multiple pieces. According to Boyle, cars regularly fly down the road, and he’s been worries about what might happen.
“From Lorain to Madison Street, it’s the only street that goes straight through, so they use this as the Indianapolis 500,” he explained while advocating for new safety measures. “It’s really (a) tragedy that something like this happens.”
During a town hall meeting Wednesday night, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb called news of the crash “devastating.” Angela D. Shute-Woodson, one of the mayor’s senior advisors, also stressed the need for building youth initiatives heading into the summer to help prevent incidents like this.
“We’re working hard to try to connect them to resources as much as possible, and resources meaning not just within the school, but like jobs,” Shute-Woodson said. “We understand they need jobs, they need job training. We also know that they sometimes just need to be heard, and felt to be heard, about the needs that they’re missing in the community.”
About the Author
