Car Chase Leads To Crash That Kills 18-Year-Old Passenger
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MARGATE (CBSMiami) – A police pursuit in Margate ended in the death of a teenage girl.
A driver is now facing charges following a fatal crash and the victim's family are demanding answers.
Abigail Espinosa, 18, was like a little sister to her cousin, Cindy Gonzales. The teen graduated high school this year.
"She was my best friend," Gonzales said. "She was literally my twin. We talked the same, we did the same."
Espinosa died in the car crash early Saturday morning.
She was the passenger of a car that was involved in a chase that Coconut Creek Police only acknowledged after being pressed for answers by CBS4 Miami reporters.
In a news release, they said officers responding to a noise disturbance at the Olivine Apartment Complex noticed Abigail and a male driver parked in a car.
The officers saw a bottle of liquor and smelled alcohol and marijuana, they said, and when they identified themselves, the driver drove off.
Patrol vehicles followed and attempted a traffic stop when they said "the driver accelerated, abruptly made an improper U-turn, and fled... at a high rate of speed… at which time officers lost sight of the fleeing vehicle."
Less than a minute later, Margate Police reported a crash.
"Came out and saw a lot of police activity, one car sitting over in the tree and another one sitting in the middle of the street," said neighbor John Lawless.
According to Coconut Creek Police, the suspect lost control, strayed into the northbound lane and was hit by an oncoming car.
The Margate Police Dept. is investigating the deadly crash.
Espinosa's family is now looking for answers. They said law enforcement has not told them anything.
"It doesn't seem real, I've been waiting for a text from her all day that I'm never going to get now," Gonzales said.
Charges against the suspect driver are pending further investigation.
The driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
