Teen driver: No decision yet on criminal charges in Irvine crash that killed 5

Authorities said Monday that they have not determined whether they’ll seek criminal charges against the 16-year-old driver of a car that crashed in the predawn hours Saturday in Irvine, killing five.

Bradley Morales, the lone survivor of the fiery crash, did not have a driver’s license and had not started the process of obtaining one, a CHP representative said at a news conference Monday.

Authorities said Morales was driving a family member’s car but did not identify the relative.

Morales remained in serious but stable condition after undergoing brain surgery, according to a statement from CHOC Children’s at Mission Hospital.

“At this time, his family does not wish to release any other information,” the statement said.

Morales was the sole survivor of the crash that occurred on the southbound side of the 5 Freeway about 2:10 a.m. Saturday near the 133 Freeway interchange, according to the California Highway Patrol. The teenagers were heading home after spending the evening at Knott’s Berry Farm in nearby Buena Park.

Investigators said Monday they were seeking witnesses to the crash, as well as the identity of the person who made the initial 911 call to authorities.
J.J. Antillon, an assistant chief with the CHP, said there is no indication that drugs or alcohol played a factor in the crash.

Investigators are attempting to determine how fast the 1995 BMW was going and which lane it was traveling in when it veered off the freeway, hit a guardrail, climbed an embankment and came to rest on a concrete retaining wall, bursting into flames.

Five bodies were found inside the vehicle and Morales was found outside, officials said.

Antillon said the investigation could take as long as a month.

Two female victims of the crash also were identified by friends and family members Sunday as Jenny Campos and Jennifer Bahena. Both girls were students at Laguna Hills High School.

The three male victims were identified by their coach and teammates from the Mission Viejo Soccer Club as Alex Sotelo, Matthew Melo and Brandon Moreno. Alex and Matthew were ninth graders at Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo, and Brandon was in eighth grade at Carl Hankey Middle School.

A candlelight vigil was held Sunday night at Capistrano Valley High and grief counselors were made available to students throughout the Capistrano Unified School District.