3 family members die, teen injured in Oakland crash

OAKLAND, Calif. (BCN) - Three family members died and a 17-year-old boy suffered major injuries when their vehicle crashed into a big-rig stopped on the side of westbound Interstate Highway 80 in Oakland early Thursday morning, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said.

At about 1:20 a.m., a silver Ford Escape crashed into the big-rig stopped on the side of westbound Highway 80 west of Powell Street on the curve of the highway near the Oakland-Emeryville border, CHP Officer Herman Baza said.

Two women and a man died in the crash while the 17-year-old, a family member of the three victims who died, was taken to a hospital, Baza said.

Eli, Sara and Eva Villareal were identified as the deceased Thursday night. Their brother Aaron is fighting for his life. 

Speed may have been a factor in the crash, as well as wet road conditions from the recent stormy weather, he said.

"The combination of both is always not a good mix," Baza said. The crash caused the closure of a lane of the highway, but it has since reopened, according to the CHP.