16-year-old boy killed, four other teens injured in Placer County crash, CHP says

A 16-year-old Foresthill boy died and four other teens suffered major injuries early Tuesday after their SUV struck a tree along a rural road in Placer County, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The teenage boy who died was driving a 2020 Toyota RAV4 around 1:10 a.m. with four teen passengers and heading east on Foresthill Road, the CHP’s Auburn office announced in a news release.

The CHP said the Toyota was just east of Mayflower Road near the town of Foresthill, where the driver failed to negotiate a curve in the road. The vehicle then struck the tree.

The driver died from his injuries. Sgt. David Smith, a spokesman for the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, said they will not be releasing the driver’s name because he was a minor.

The CHP said two 16-year-old boys, one from Foresthill and another from Newcastle, suffered major injuries in the single-vehicle crash. Two girls from Foresthill, one 16 years old and the other 17 years old, also suffered major injuries in the crash.

The injured passengers were taken by ambulance to Sutter Roseville Medical Center, according to the CHP.

The CHP said the deadly crash is still under investigation, and investigators believe alcohol may have been a contributing factor.

The teen who died in the crash was a student at Foresthill High School, along with three of the four passengers injured, according to a written statement from the Placer Union High School District.

“Such tragedies, especially when they involve young people, are very difficult to process,” school district officials said in the statement. “Community resources have been provided to our students and staff, and following Spring Break additional counselors, mental health specialists, and chaplains will be (on campus) to offer support for as long as needed.”