Victorville, CA - Girls, 17 and 16, Killed in Ridgecrest Road Crash, Five Arrested

Victorville, CA (August 14, 2026) - Two teenage girls were killed in a three-vehicle crash at Ridgecrest Road and Elmwood Drive on the evening of August 14, and five people have since been arrested, the California Highway Patrol said.

The crash was reported at about 8:34 p.m. The girls were a 17-year-old Victorville resident and her 16-year-old friend from Hesperia. Both were students at Sultana High School and had just begun their senior year.

CHP said a Chevrolet Camaro and a Dodge Charger were traveling northbound on Ridgecrest Road at extremely high speed through a residential neighborhood. Investigators said the girls' Acura entered the roadway from Elmwood Drive. Both cars struck the Acura, and the force of the collision split it in half, according to authorities.

Detectives with the CHP Inland Division Major Crimes Unit arrested George Gary Sanchez, 49, of Riverside, shortly after the crash. CHP identified Sanchez as the driver of the Dodge Charger.

Investigators then searched for Terry Lamar Easter, 50, of Apple Valley, who CHP said was driving the Chevrolet Camaro and fled the scene. Easter surrendered on the morning of August 26 after a multiday search.

During that search, investigators arrested Ryan James Lewis, 45, of Victorville, Lukevy Shawntell Yates, 49, of Apple Valley, and Madge Wells, 74, of Apple Valley, on suspicion of being accessories after the fact. CHP said the three cooperated with investigators and were later released.

Easter and Sanchez were booked into the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Central Detention Center on suspicion of murder and gross vehicular manslaughter with negligence.

This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.

What Families Should Know After a Fatal Car Accident in California

Can a family file a claim before the criminal case ends?

Yes. A civil claim runs on its own track and does not wait for a prosecution to finish. It also uses a lower standard of proof, which means a family can prevail civilly regardless of how the criminal case resolves. Arrests and bookings are allegations, not findings of guilt.

Who can be held responsible in a crash like this?

More parties than the two drivers, in many cases.

• Both drivers, through their own liability insurance
• The registered owners of either car, if the driver was not the owner, under California's permissive use rule (Vehicle Code section 17150)
• An employer, if either driver was working at the time
• The families' own underinsured motorist coverage, which often matters most when two policies have to cover two deaths

What can a wrongful death claim cover?

Funeral and burial costs, the financial support the child would have provided, and the loss of her love, companionship, and guidance. California allows parents to bring the claim under Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60.

What if some fault is assigned to the girls' vehicle?

California uses pure comparative fault. Even if a share of responsibility is assigned to the Acura for entering the roadway, both families can still recover, reduced by that percentage. The 16-year-old was a passenger, and a passenger is almost never assigned fault.

What is the deadline?

Wrongful death claims must generally be filed within two years of the date of death (CCP 377.60). For this August 14, 2026 crash, that deadline is August 14, 2028. Both vehicles are in evidence now, which makes this the best window to preserve their data.

Contact Our Victorville Fatal Car Accident Attorneys

Two families are burying daughters who should be starting their senior year. Nothing written on a law firm page changes that, and no case is urgent enough to interrupt grief.

When you are ready, our Victorville wrongful death attorney team can take on the parts a family should not have to handle. The firm has recovered more than $200 million for clients, including a $5 million wrongful death settlement.

Both cars are held as evidence while the criminal case is active. The data stored inside them, along with the roadway measurements and scene photographs, is far easier to secure now than after the vehicles are released.

Your family will not be asked for money at any point. We are paid only out of a recovery, and only if there is one.

Why Injured Clients Trust Christian Contreras Law

• $200M+ recovered for clients
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Talk With Us When Your Family Is Ready at (866) 836-6588

We can meet at your home, speak with a relative on your behalf, and walk through what a civil case would involve before anyone commits to anything.

Legal Disclaimer

This page is attorney advertising and is provided for general informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Incident information is based on publicly available reports and may change as the investigation continues. The Law Offices of Christian Contreras is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any law enforcement or emergency response agency. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and no outcome is promised or implied.