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UPDATED: Freeway crash kills 13-year-old, DUI suspected

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At least two people had to be extricated from the vehicle, according to witnesses at the scene. (Photos by LUIS MEZA)
At least two people had to be extricated from the vehicle, according to witnesses. (Photos by LUIS MEZA)

PALMDALE – Alcohol is suspected to be a contributing factor in the single-vehicle freeway crash Saturday night that claimed the life of a 13-year-old Rosamond boy, authorities said.

The fatal collision happened around 8:13 p.m. Saturday on the northbound Antelope Valley (14) Freeway, near Avenue O, according to a California Highway Patrol report.

Peter Ramirez IV, 28, of Lancaster was driving a 2007 Saturn Ion northbound on the freeway at an unknown speed when he allowed his vehicle to travel onto the dirt center median, the report states.

Traffic on the freeway was gridlocked for several hours as officers investigated at the scene.
Traffic on the freeway was gridlocked for several hours as officers investigated the scene.

Ramirez turned the steering wheel to the right and then the vehicle spun out of control, traveled across the northbound lanes, crashed into a raised dirt embankment and flipped onto its left side, the CHP report states.

Ramirez and his three passengers were transported by ambulance to Antelope Valley Hospital.

A 2-year-old girl suffered minor injuries, and 21-year-old Matthew Tucker of Rosamond also suffered minor injuries as a result of the collision, the report states.

A 13-year-old boy from Rosamond was pronounced dead at Antelope Valley Hospital due to injuries he sustained from the collision, according to the report.

Ramirez, who sustained moderate injuries, was suspected of driving under the influence and he was taken into custody.

He was arrested around 10:52 p.m. Saturday and booked at the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station early Sunday morning on $250,000 bail.

The traffic collision is still under investigation.

UPDATED 4/15/13: According to an update from the California Highway Patrol issued this morning, the 2-year-old female passenger sustained abrasions to her body and a laceration to her head as a result of the collision. Matthew Tucker, 21, was not injured in the collision, according to the latest report.

37 comments for "UPDATED: Freeway crash kills 13-year-old, DUI suspected"

  1. To the person who doesn’t this family to have a car wash then pu;; out your wallet and pay for his services yourself…..if not mind your buisness! Rest in peace lil guy!

  2. So very sad a child’s life was taken way too soon because an adult couldn’t be an adult. Whether he did not mean to do this or not, he still made the decision to get in a car and drive. Actions have consequences….whether he is feels the guilt for his actions. I feel sorry for this young boy whose life was taken way to soon. I pray for the families of everyone involved. Such a horrible situation.

  3. My heart is aching for this young man’s family and I’m saddened to hear it was a DUI. People just don’t GET IT!! Don’t drink and drive PERIOD. If he knew he was drinking then someone should have been called to bring those children home. I was in that traffic and when I came upon the accident site around 11:30pm they were loading up the vehicles. I knew from how they closed the lanes that there must have been a death or a horrible accident. May God Bless the families of those INNOCENT children in the car and I hope they throw the driver in JAIL and charge him with a FELONY DUI as he deserves it. I don’t care HOW or WHY he was taking them home (from a post above) it was irresponsible of that individual to even THINK about getting behind the wheel while intoxicated. I’m praying that they all can find peace and God give them strength to get through this. I live in Rosamond with a child in the Middle School. I wonder if she knew this young man. REST IN PEACE SWEET LITTLE MAN!

    • Thank you for your concern but im sure your daughter didnt know my cousin he had just moved to the area and hadnt started in his new school yet.

  5. All of you need to be quiet the little boy that was lost in this tragic accident is my cousin and it is horrible that all of you think you have the right to say anything about what happed just keep your mouths shut k its hurtfull enough that it happened we do not need people that don’t know us or our family talking crap. Thank you to all that are praying you are not forgotten. Now for those of you that are talking crap focus on your own lives and stay out of ours k that would be much appreciated. God bless and have a good day.

    • And instead of everyone fighting just stay out of it no one deserved what happened that night if you know the people from the accident be there for them and if you dont know them stay out of our business pay more attention to your family because you never know when a tragic accident like this can happen. I just saw the boy who passed 4 days ago and the thought of loosing him was the furthest thing from my mind so please stop talking crap about good people

    • I’d like to say to the family my prayers go out to you all and don’t allow negative peoples remarks comments or attitudes to affect you we live in a society of heartless cold people but not everyone is bad am a Christian and I love my brethren if I could help a brother or sister I will because its the Godly acts I’m so sorry for the 13 year old who lost his life here but fact is he lives on n has received his crown Amen, God help the one charged its a sad situation but leave it in Gods hands for the bible says judge not thee saith the lord. I pray for all involved. Monica Suarez Lancaster CA.

  6. Shut up u are the idiot,blaming the one that lost his life.just shut up. U are not involved so stay out of it.ur one to talk like ur so [removed] perfect.

    • SAYS WHO?!! I’M CLEARLY BLAMING PETER & THE SISTER WHO ALLOWED THE KID TO RIDE WITH A DRUNK DRIVER YOU [removed] READ A LITTLE SLOWER. AN COME AGAIN HAHAHA I NEVER CLAIMED TO BE PERFECT BUT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE. LoL

      • Your a [removed]. you have no idea what happened. You weren’t there. We (the people who were there) know what happened. And many of us agree that you (lanel) need to get socked in the nose so it will be easier for you to keep it out of others’ business. No one is to blame. Don’t hate or resent Peter. I only met him the day David died and he’s a great guy. He’s got enough to deal with living with this for the rest of his life, so if your gonna talk [removed] on the driver, just remember you could be in the same position some day. You don’t have to be drunk or even buzzed for tragedy to occur. Cars are dangerous and so are the roads. Drive safer.

        • Peter is a good guy and is suffering so much for this too. It was a tragic accident. It could have been anyone. Right now both families need time to grieve for this tragedy. Ive known peter for 7 years. I can say first hand that he is a good guy and puts his friends before himself. I know he is hurting more than anyone can even imagin about this.

        • here let me break it down for you. 1st You say I have no idea what happened. Your wrong!!!! 2nd You say I wasn’t their. Thank god!! 3rd You say you want to sock me in my nose. lOl smh When were and what time? I’ll be sure to bring my friends the COPS hahaha grow up kid. 4th you say its not my business. Sorry to burst your bubble but the business is all over the news so pull your head out of your ass an your not the only one who knows the real story! 5th you say no one is to blame. sadly the blame falls on peter because no one had enough balls to stand up an be like “uuuh dudes this doesn’t look to safe, maybe we should crash here for the night” your the guilty one in my eyes chump if “you were their”, and yes in the eyes of the law the blame falls on peter. 6th you say I may be in the same position some day. I agree because I never said I was super woman lol. 7th PETER is me an my boyfriends best friend dumb [removed] obviously you don’t know anything. so aside from your lesson today ,Let me sum it up for you. You don’t [removed] know me and you never will so I suggest you stay in school kiddo. The real tragedy here is your brains thought process.

  7. IF YOU ALL KNEW THE SITUATION YOU WOULD BE SIGNING A WHOLE DIFFERENT TUNE. TRY WISHING THE WORSE ON THE OLDER SISTER WHO ALLOWED ALL THE POOR CHILDREN IN THAT CAR??!!??

    • Lenal shut the [removed] up! You do not know [removed] except for the fact fact that your not going to see peter again. Just stop your making yourself sound like an insensitive [removed]!!!

      • lOl you say what you want anonymous I will do the same, Shows how much you know,I will see peter you moron hahaha its called visitations. you clueless pieces of [removed]!

        • The both of you need to calm down. It is tragic what happened and both families are hurting. The boys family as well as peters family. I myself had warned peter several times about drinking and driving and it is sad that this happened. My prayersbgovout to the families. But you guys arguing like this is not going to achieve anything and only cause more heartache! This is a time for people to come together and honor the memory of that boy. Not fight over what happened. Everyone is hurting right now so lets not bring more fuel to the fire, I may not have ever know that boy.but im sure he would nit want people showing such anger and hate. I was with peter for 5 years and although I am angry for his decisions I pray for his family as well during these hard times. May the boy rest in peace

  8. How is the driver related to the passengers?
    My prayers go out to all the families involved.
    RIP little man.

    • No relation the parents of the 2 year old/sister of the little one who died were traveling in another car behind him taking the kids home…no need to say more.

    • All more CHP will do is cost the state more of what we know they don’t have. What do they do when someone’s already crashed their car? Show up. It’s a “response”. To me, a more definitive statement would be, “Too many dopes out drivin lately causing fatal crashes.” “Sure would be nice if people would keep their heads out of their anus while they drive!”

    • Really are you serious? It just looks that way. The one that looks like its on top of the other is actually just down the road in front of it.

    • It’s okay leah. I thought that too when I first looked at it but the article said a single vehicle accident then I realized it was the angle of the shot :)

    • Yeah, that solves everything doesn’t it, Lib…. Is that all you libs can come up with is ban this and ban that, Lib? That’s a kindergarten response to an elementary issue. Nice work, Lib. You got it all figured out. Unfortunately for you, I’m not impressed…

    • GREAT IDEA!! While we’re at it, let’s ban cars too. I bet if cars were banned, this tradgedy wouldn’t have occurred. Oh yeah, and let’s ban the game of golf too. I heard that a fan was severely injured by an errant golf ball a couple years ago at a tournament. This ban thing is great!!! What can we ban next???!!!!

  12. I wouldn’t expect less from peter….. He used to be my best friends fiancee, abs it had only been 3 months …. He deserves prison or worse…… I pray for the family’s though.

    • I’m glad someone understands that. I sure don’t. “He deserves prison or worse,” is all I got.

    • EXCUSE YOU AUBRIE HOLLANDS!! WTF??????, DO YOU KNOW WHO OR WHAT THE [removed] YOUR TALKING ABOUT!!?? [removed] YOUR FRIEND CHRYSTAL YOU BOTH CAN GO PLAY DUNGEONS & DRAGONS YOU IDIOT HE CERTAINLY DOESN’T DESERVE WORSE HE KNOWS WHAT HE DID WAS VERY [removed] WRONG AN HE HAS TO LIVE WITH THAT AN YOU MAKE NOTHING BETTER!! HE WAS DOING GOOD AFTER HE LEFT YOUR “FRIEND” SCHOOLING, EXCELLENT JOB BETTER THEN YOURS AN MINE IM SURE!! THE FACTS ARE HE WAS DRIVING THOSE KIDS HOME FOR HIS “DRUNKER FRIENDS” WHO NONE OF THEM HAD NO [removed] COMMON SENSE TO NOT PUT THOSE KIDS IN A CAR WITH A DRUNK DRIVER!!!!. PETER IS A VERY VERY NICE GUY,WHAT YOU DON’T LIKE HIM BECUASE HE CHEATED ON YOUR BESTIE GROW UP!! IT JUST SO HAPPENS HE WAS IN A [removed] UP POSITION!! HE WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING TO HURT A CHILD’S LIFE AN YOU KNOW THAT !!!! SO PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR [removed] YOU DUMB [removed]!!!! THAT’S ME & MY BOYFRIENDS BEST FRIEND AN WE KNOW MORE THEN YOU SO STOP FEEDING INTO THE NEWS ARTICLES AN STOP BELIEVING EVERYTHING YOU READ YOU DUMB IGNORANT [removed].

  13. May The Lord bless this child’s soul and may he give he’s family the strength they need at this time to try and understand what happen that led this child to the doors of heaven. My prayors are with h and his family. And what’s more unfortunate is the person who was driving will not only pay through prison time for using poor judgement. But he will never be able to heal from the pain he helped cause not only to him but to all involved

  14. SMH….Some people are such idiots! My heart breaks for this boys family. He is so young and had his whole life ahead of him. His precious life taken because someone was stupid enough to get behind the wheel after drinking. I will never understand why people think it is okay.
    I pray that the driver never sees the light of day again.
    My thoughts and Prayers to this young boys family. May he forever R.I.P.!