Blood Test Ordered in Crash That Killed 4

Coroner’s officials are expected to perform blood-alcohol tests on a 22-year-old man who was driving a car that flew across a center divider and crashed into a tree, killing himself and three teenage passengers in Santa Fe Springs.

Police who went to the accident scene reported an odor of alcohol “in and around the vehicle and found beer cans in the car,” Whittier police spokesman Chuck Drylie said Monday.

It is likely that toxicology tests will be performed on all the individuals, county coroner spokesman Scott Carrier said.

Jesse Rodriguez, 22, was speeding west at 1:26 a.m. Saturday on Slauson Avenue at about 80 mph, when the car hit the median at Dice Road, “went airborne” and smashed into a tree, Drylie said.

Rodriguez, who died instantly, was the only one in the car wearing a seat belt, but was not licensed to drive, police reported.

Ronnie Parra, 16, seated in the front passenger seat, and Veronica Flores, 17, both of Whittier, also died on impact.

Joshua Velasquez, seated in the back next to Flores, was thrown from the car. He died of head injuries Sunday night at St. Francis Medical Center.

A makeshift memorial of flowers and beer bottles was set up on the sidewalk near the site of the accident Sunday.