Police Blame ‘High Rate of Speed,’ Identify 5 Teens Killed in Fiery Crash

Editor's note: This story was originally published on Tuesday, May 28 at 3:43 p.m.

By: Nisha Gutierrez-Jaime, Patch Local Editor

Newport Beach police suspect "a high rate of speed" contributed to a fiery Memorial Day crash that split an Infiniti in two and claimed the lives of five high school students from Irvine.

"The preliminary investigation indicates the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of the collision," Kathy Lowe, spokeswoman for the Newport Beach Police Department, said. "However determining the exact speed of the vehicle will be part of our investigation."

On Tuesday afternoon the Orange County Sheriff's Department identified the victims of the fatal Newport Beach crash as Abdulrahman M. Alyahyan, 17, a 12th grade student at University High School who was behind the wheel of the car; Nozad Al Hamawendi, 17, an 11th grade student at Irvine High School; Cecilia D. Zamora 17, an 11th grade at Irvine High School and sisters Aurora C. Cabrera, 16, a 10th grade student at Irvine High School and Robin A. Cabrera, 17, a 12th grade student at Irvine High.

The single-vehicle crash was reported Monday at 5:22 p.m. on Jamboree Road near Island Lagoon Drive. Lowe said the 2008 Infiniti veered off the road and hit a tree in the center divider. 

"Upon impact, the car split in half and one half caught on fire," Lowe said.

The portion of the car that burst into flames was the front engine compartment, according to Lowe.

Four of the teens were ejected from the car and pronounced dead at the scene. The fifth teenager was partially ejected, severely burned and died later at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo.

Jamboree Road was reopened in both directions early Tuesday morning following more than 10 hours of investigation and removal of debris, which was scattered over about a quarter-mile.

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