Hollister High School.
GILROY, Calif. - Three seniors from Hollister High School were killed, and a former student was critically injured in a car crash, the San Benito High School District said Wednesday.
"It is with a heavy heart that we share tragic news affecting our school community," Hollister High School Principal Kevin Medeiros and Supt. Shawn Tennenbaum said in a letter to the community. "This loss is profoundly felt by all of us."
In an interview in front of the school, Tennenbaum commented on how sad he was about the "devastating loss."
"You know, we're a very close-knit community," he said. "Many of our community members went to school here. We have generational families that went to school here, and we all consider them part of our family. So the news last night was very hard to stomach."
One of the victims was identified by his father on Wednesday as 18-year-old Brandon Alarcon. He was riding in the backseat of the car.
The other two victims have not yet been identified.
Brandon Alarcon, 18, was identified by his father as one of the students killed in the crash.
What we know:
The crash was reported on Tuesday just before 7 p.m. when the driver traveling west on Shore Road west of Lake Road just outside of Hollister lost control of the vehicle, and it crossed into opposing traffic and struck a car going east on Shore Road, California Highway Patrol officer Alfredo Uribe said.
The CHP reported that not only did the three students die and their friend suffer injuries, but the driver of the other car also was injured and taken by helicopter to a local hospital.
When Mederois came to school on Wednesday he said he felt the weight of the tragedy.
"You can feel the sadness," he said, but also at the same time, you feel that sense of community that we have everyone coming together in this really sad time and really working to support everyone in need."
Medeiros said losing three students, ones that he loves as his own, is something that is hitting him very hard.
"They're a part of this family," he said. "And knowing they're young kids and had so much life ahead of them, it's definitely something that's heartbreaking"
What we don't know:
The exact cause and circumstances of the crash are under investigation. At this time, it is unknown whether alcohol or drugs were contributing factors in the crash, the CHP said.
The school district said that counselors and mental health clinicians will be available this week to provide support to students.
The district officials said in times like these, the community should come together to support one another.
Big picture view:
This is the second Bay Area crash to have killed three young people at once in roughly two months.
About 100 miles north, three college sophomores, all graduates of Piedmont High School, died on the day after Thanksgiving when the Cybertruck they were in slammed into a tree and retaining wall. A fourth student was able to escape and was taken to the hospital.
Piedmont students killed in fiery Cybertruck crash: What we know
Over the weekend, the city of Piedmont released the names and brief statements from the families of three 2023 Piedmont High School graduates who died in a fiery Cybertruck crash on the day before Thanksgiving.
What you can do:
CHP Captain Noel Coady said he extends his condolences to the families of the people who were killed in Hollister.
"Obeying traffic laws is every driver's responsibility, with profound consequences when ignored," he said in a statement.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hollister-Gilroy Area office at (408) 427-0700.
EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the city where the deaths occurred.