Twins Naomi and Nyah Leon, who were due to graduate preschool on Wednesday, June 3, were among the victims of the crash, which occurred on the morning of May 22
Credit: GoFundMe
NEED TO KNOW
- Five family members have died in a car crash in Southern California while on their way to a relative’s graduation in Arizona
- Sergio Leon, 38, his wife Herminia Hernandez, 39, and their 4-year-old twins Naomi and Nyah Leon died in the tragedy, as well as Sergio’s 36-year-old brother, Antonio Leon
- The victims’ car burst into flames when it was t-boned by a driver, who also died in the crash
Five family members, including 4-year-old twin girls, were killed in a car crash in Southern California while on their way to a relative's graduation in Arizona last month.
The family's car burst into flames after it was t-boned by a driver in San Bernardino County on Friday, May 22, ABC7 reported.
The victims have been identified as Sergio Leon, 38, from Fresno, his wife Herminia Hernandez, 39, and their 4-year-old twins, Naomi and Nyah Leon, per the Los Angeles Times. Sergio's brother Antonio Leon, 36, also died in the crash, according to the outlet.
Credit: GoFundMe
The other driver, identified as 60-year-old Holly Chafey, also died at the scene, per the paper.
The San Bernardino County coroner confirmed in a press release that the five family members, and Chafey, had been pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
"We had family members starting to arrive," Itzia Zamarripa, a family cousin, told KMPH Fox26 News of the graduation. "As they were arriving, that family — Sergio, Antonio, Nyah, Naomi, and Mini — never showed up."
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Just after 8:00 a.m. local time on the morning of May 22, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) responded to the crash on State Route 62, near the city of Freda, the outlet reported. Freda is about 40 miles west of the border with Arizona and sits east of Joshua Tree National Park.
Zamarripa said she received a call to tell her that the crash may have involved her missing family. "This car so happened to go into the back of the truck as they entered into the lane and ended up perpendicular to my cousin," she told KMPH Fox26 News. "So my cousins had no time to react at all,”
“They t-boned that car and immediately burst it into flames,” she said.
Zamarripa added to the outlet that the twins were due to graduate from preschool on Wednesday, June 3. "We're numb," she said. "It's been devastating."
Cesar Sanchez, another family member, has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for costs including funeral and memorial expenses, raising almost $30,000 as of Wednesday, June 3.
He described his relatives as "a family defined by love, laughter, devotion and unwavering support for one another," calling Sergio someone with a "hardworking spirit" and "generous heart" and Herminia someone with a "beautiful soul" who "touched countless lives."
He spoke of Antonio's "loyal heart" and said that Naomi and Nyah "brought endless joy, innocence, laughter and light into the world" in their four years, adding that Las Vegas Raiders fans Sergio and Antonio had a fun football rivalry with Herminia, who rooted for the San Francisco 49ers.
"The impact each of them made on their family, friends, and community will never be forgotten," Sanchez wrote.
The California Highway Patrol didn't immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information. PEOPLE has also reached out to Sanchez for a tribute from the family.
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