3 Students Killed in Crash Identified

Three orange crosses and a bouquet stood Saturday at the site of an automobile crash where a carful of teenagers a day earlier slammed into a utility pole that nearly ripped their Toyota in half.

California Highway Patrol officials released no additional information about the cause of Friday’s crash in an unincorporated area near Stanton, only the basic facts: three boys dead and two other passengers hospitalized.

The teens -- at least some of whom were believed to be students at Western and Magnolia high schools in Anaheim -- were identified as driver Chau Pham, 17, of Stanton, who died at the scene; Nordin Hossen, 17, of Anaheim, who died a few hours later at UCI Medical Center in cardiac arrest; and Justin Lu, 18, of Stanton, who died at West Anaheim Medical Center late Friday night, according to coroner’s officials.

The conditions of the two other passengers, including a 16-year-old girl, were not available.

Denise Mansfield-Reinking, an Anaheim Union High School District trustee, stood vigil at the hospital with Lu’s family Friday night, and later drove to the accident scene on South Gilbert Street, between Anaheim and Stanton, to survey the damage.

“Horrific. There’s just no other word to describe it,” she said. “The condition of the car, the position of the pole. It was like it just sliced right into the car. It took my breath away. I called my son and said, ‘You drive home real safe tonight.’ ”

Authorities said the teens were traveling between 45 and 50 mph where the posted speed limit is 40 mph. Some residents who witnessed the accident said the Toyota may have been cut off by a car it was racing, but officers declined to comment on those reports.

The Toyota skidded to the right and slammed into the base of an electric standard, which toppled onto the roof of a house. This ignited a small fire, causing about $1,500 damage.

School district officials were still trying to determine where the students attended high school. Anaheim Union High School District Supt. Jan Billings said crisis counselors would be available for students when classes resume Tuesday.