Two Hollister residents were killed Saturday night when the car
they were riding in ran through a stop sign, flipped over and came
to a stop 100 yards away.
Matt Lopez, 18, and P.J. Galvan, 18, were pronounced dead at the
scene of the 11 p.m. accident, according to a press release from
the California Highway Patrol. Both were graduates of San Benito
High School, said Det. Sgt. Wes Walker of the Sheriff’s
Department.
Two Hollister residents were killed Saturday night when the car they were riding in ran through a stop sign, flipped over and came to a stop 100 yards away.
Matt Lopez, 18, and P.J. Galvan, 18, were pronounced dead at the scene of the 11 p.m. accident, according to a press release from the California Highway Patrol. Both were graduates of San Benito High School, said Det. Sgt. Wes Walker of the Sheriff’s Department.
The driver of the 1993 automobile was airlifted to San Jose Medical Center, Walker said, and was very “touch and go.” He was discharged Sunday, according to a representative with the hospital.
Another passenger was also taken via helicopter to San Jose Medical Center, according to the CHP release. The fifth passenger was taken to Hazel Hawkins Hospital by ambulance.
The names of the driver and other two passengers were not released by the CHP by press time. Two are 18 and one is 16, according to the CHP release.
The car was heading west on Santa Ana Valley Road when the car did not stop at the stop sign at Fairview Road.
“The vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed. It was launched across Fairview Road off of Santa Ana Valley Road and traveled down into a ravine,” Walker said.
The two surviving passengers were wearing their seat belts, said Tara Wynn, a SBHS junior and friend of the deceased.
Crowds of people gathered at the site of the accident to mourn. A poster was taped to a post reading, “P.J. and Matt – We love you until the last rose falls. You’ll be missed …” A Sharpie pen was attached for people to write good-bye messages on the poster.
People, from young children to adults, traveled down the hill walking in the indentation the car made and gathered at the edge of the ravine. Bouquets of roses surrounded the poster.
Wynn was in shock and mourning the loss of Galvan.
“It hasn’t hit yet. I feel like he’s still here but he’s not,” she said.
Wynn said Galvan played baseball and football at SBHS. Both Galvan and Lopez were attending Gavilan College, she said.
The accident happened a little before 11 p.m., Walker said. Responding to the scene were American Medical Response paramedics, the California Department of Forestry and Fire, the CHP and the county Sheriff’s Department.
The Sheriff’s Department will conduct autopsies today.
The CHP is handling the criminal investigation.
The CHP release contained no information on seat belts or if drugs or alcohol were involved.
No one from the CHP could be contacted for comment by press time.
Staff writer Kollin Kosmicki and Sports Editor Nathan Mixter contributed to this article.
