{"id":53183,"date":"2014-07-01T11:07:37","date_gmt":"2014-07-01T18:07:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theavtimes.com\/?p=53183"},"modified":"2019-01-24T12:39:22","modified_gmt":"2019-01-24T20:39:22","slug":"2-teens-killed-in-highway-138-crash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/2014\/07\/01\/2-teens-killed-in-highway-138-crash\/","title":{"rendered":"2 teens killed in Highway 138 crash"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Fatal<\/a>Two teenagers were killed Monday night after a big rig slammed into a car in a rural intersection, forcing both\u00a0vehicles into the desert.<\/p>\n

Sixteen-year-old John\u00a0Michael Burgess<\/strong> of Palmdale was pronounced dead at the scene, while 16-year-old Christopher Alan Ricker<\/strong> of Rosamond was transported to Antelope Valley Hospital, where he later died of his injuries, according to Assistant Chief Ed Winter of the Los Angeles County Coroner\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n

\"[L<\/a>
[L to R] Christopher Ricker and John Burgess.<\/figcaption><\/figure>Both teens were riding in a 2002 Toyota Prius that was broadsided by a 2000 Volvo Tractor\/Trailer around 6:45 p.m. Monday, in the intersection of 60th Street West and SR-138, according to a California Highway Patrol report.<\/p>\n

Ricker was driving the Prius northbound on 60th<\/sup> Street West when he \u201cfailed to stop at a stop sign\u201d and drove directly into the path of the big rig, which was traveling westbound on SR-138 at an estimated 55 mph, according to the CHP report.<\/p>\n

The big rig\u2019s driver, 55-year-old Rodolfo C. Marcello<\/strong> of Littlerock, attempted to stop but could not do so in time, the CHP report states.<\/p>\n

The front end of the big rig smashed into the right side of the Prius, forcing both vehicles northwest into the desert. Both teens were trapped inside the Prius and had to be extricated by LA County Fire Personnel, according to the CHP report.<\/p>\n

Information on the big rig driver\u2019s condition was not immediately available.<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s note<\/span>: There were conflicting reports on which teen was driving the Prius. Due to the damage of the car and the positions of the bodies, the driver of the Prius was initially reported to the coroner\u2019s office as Burgess, Winter said. However, a later CHP media report stated that Ricker was driving the Prius. The CHP report also listed Ricker’s city of residence as\u00a0Piedmont, Oklahoma. However, the coroner’s office has listed Ricker as a Rosamond resident based on his parents’ address, Winter said. The incident remains under investigation, and we will update this story when more information becomes available.<\/em><\/p>\n

Picture of the crash scene per KTLA 5\u00a0News<\/h2>\n