14-year-old passenger dies week after SUV smashes into tree in Fairfax County
MERRIFIELD, Va. - A 14-year-old passenger has died a week after a crash in Fairfax County left several hospitalized and a 17-year-old driver under arrest for allegedly driving under the influence.
Authorities say the crash happened around 5 a.m. on November 20 along Pioneer Lane when a teen driver behind the wheel of an SUV lost control and struck a tree.
The crash threw five teens from the vehicle. One teen was trapped and was extricated from the SUV.
The driver was arrested on scene for driving under the influence, police said. Charges against the driver are pending as the investigation continues. Detectives say speed and alcohol were factors in the crash.
The mother of Kevin Guardado Landaverde confirmed to FOX 5 on Tuesday, her son was the 14-year-old who passed away from his injuries related to the crash.
Kevin was an eighth-grade student at Longfellow Middle School, his mother said. While she said she was not ready to talk about what happened on the morning of Nov. 20, she told FOX 5 she was grateful for the community’s support.
As of Tuesday, a GoFundMe page started for the family has raised more than $50,000. According to the GoFundMe, Kevin died on Thanksgiving Day.
Near the crash site on Pioneer Lane, there is a small memorial for Kevin. His friend Aida Martinez stopped by with her mother on Tuesday.
"It’s been really rough, because obviously he was a good friend of mine. I treated him like a little brother. It’s just really sad. I feel really bad," Martinez said. "He would always put everybody before him. He was just a really kind and funny person and everyone loved him."
George Harris who lives near Pioneer Lane recalled hearing the car on the morning of November 20. Harris owns a tow truck company and had just gotten home from work that morning when he heard the car and walked outside to find the teens.
"We all jumped right into action. I was really impressed with my daughter and my wife…I don’t know, it was automatic. Anyone would have done it. There’s no heroism. Anyone would have done it," Harris said. "We did everything as fast as possible to save everyone. It’s just tragic to hear one of the kids passed. I know everyone did everything they could. I hope the rest of the kids are perfectly normal and live a good, healthy life."