Mothers Of Chevy Chase Crash Victims Heartbroken By Tragedy
CHEVY CHASE, Md. (WJZ)-- The families of two teenagers killed in Montgomery County Friday question the events leading up to their fatal crash in a stolen car.
Pat Warren reports two teens survived, but so far have offered no explanation for the wreck.
Families are still reeling after a pre-dawn wreck brings a deadly end to a teenage joyride.
Two teenagers riding in a stolen car are killed in a ball of fire after the driver crashes into a tree near Connecticut Avenue and Chevy Chase Circle in Montgomery County.
"The flames were going 15, 20 feet into the sky," one eyewitness said.
Officers were able to rescue two teenagers from the front seat of the car, but it caught fire before they could reach the passengers in the back.
"It's just hurtful. My condolences go out to the mothers," said one person.
Emmanuel Nelson, 15, and his cousin Kyree Nelson, 16, died in the fire.
The two teens' mothers are sisters, and Nikita and Latreese Nelson are looking for answers.
"I don't understand any of this. It doesn't make sense. This is not my son's character," Nikita Nelson, whose son died in the crash, said.
The car was spotted by an officer around 1 a.m. Friday who checked the plate and found it reported stolen in Silver Spring. Police were in pursuit when it crashed.
"The vehicle-- for reasons still under investigation-- lost control and struck a tree at the circle," a Montgomery County police officer said.
"I'm a burn nurse. It hits a little too close to home for me," said one person.
"How horrible it must be to be caught in a fire like that," said another.
The grandmother of one of the survivors says he has a juvenile record for car theft.
"And it wasn't even worth it to die like this for a car or van or whatever," Maxine Miller said.
"If they would never have gotten into that car, he could be here with us today," Latreese Nelson said.
The driver of the car sustained life threatening injuries. The front seat passenger is expected to survive. The investigation continues.
The crash is also raising questions about the police pursuit policy.
