Teen killed and girl critically injured in Yorba Linda crash

The crash occurred at about 8 p.m. on November 6. One of the vehicles struck a tree, while the other sustained minor damage, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said. Both teenagers were taken to a hospital with serious injuries. The boy, Matthew Andres Santome of Placentia, later died there; the girl remained in critical condition on November 7. Her identity has not been made public.

The driver of the second vehicle stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators. Authorities said they did not suspect drugs or alcohol contributed to the crash. No other injuries were reported.

Santome was a junior at El Dorado High School, its principal, Michael Zides, told NBC 4. Zides informed the school community of the student’s death and expressed sympathy for the teenager’s family and friends. The injured girl attends Yorba Linda High School.

Santome’s family described his death as sudden and devastating in a fundraising appeal. They remembered him as kind, funny and motivated, and said his loss had left a profound emptiness.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team is investigating. Anyone with information was asked to call the team at 949-425-1860.