Jayden Vico, Richard Grable III, Ryan Bradley, Tomas Brown and Aiden Finkel were all involved in a four-car crash on Friday, June 20
Each was transported to the hospital, where Jayden Vico was pronounced dead
Richard Grable III died two days later of severe brain damage. The three remaining passengers, all 17 years old, are still in critical condition
Two teenage boys, Jayden Vico and Richard Grable III, were killed in a multi-car accident in Pompano Beach, Fla., on Friday, June 20.
Jayden Vico, 16, was driving a Mercedes-Benz CLA 250, with Richard Grable III, Ryan Bradley, Tomas Brown and Aiden Finkel, all 17, per Local 10. They were traveling near the 200 block of West Copans Road in Pompano Beach (which is 37 miles north of Miami) when an 82-year-old man driving a Toyota Sienna turned left in front of them.
The Mercedes and the Toyota collided. The Mercedes then flipped onto its roof, slid across the road and hit two other cars, a Lexus RX 350 and a Toyota RAV4, per the Broward County Sheriff’s Office
“Deputies on scene immediately began life-saving measures until Pompano Beach Fire Rescue arrived,” per the sheriff’s office. The passengers in the Mercedes and those in the Lexus were transported to the hospital. The occupants in the two Toyota vehicles did not report injuries and remained on scene.
Vico was pronounced deceased at the hospital. Grable’s father confirmed his son died of severe brain damage on Sunday, June 22, per NBC 6.
Witness Danny Morillo said he was driving home from work when he saw the accident. “I heard one of the kids saying, ‘Oh my God, oh my God, oh My God,’ ” Morillo told NBC 6. “That broke my heart, knowing that he can say something, but he cannot move or get out from that. I went and did what I had to do.”
Morillo ran to the car to help flip the car back over to rescue the teens. “We kept going, we kept going,” he said. “We flipped the car back on two wheels because it was four wheels up.”
Investigators said excessive speed may have been a contributing factor in the crash, and the investigation is ongoing, NBC 6 reported.
A GoFundMe page has been created to help Vico’s family with the funeral. Before Grable was pronounced dead on Sunday, a GoFundMe page was created to help raise money for his medical treatment.
Vico, Finkel, Angel and Bradley were students at St. Thomas Aquinas. Grable was a former student there before transferring to Fort Lauderdale High School. St. Thomas Aquinas High School posted a statement to Instagram on Saturday, June 21. “Our hearts are heavy as we share that a serious incident has occurred involving students from our school community.”
The following day, the school shared an additional statement: “In times like these, we are called to come together in prayer for the victims, their families, and for our entire community as we seek healing and comfort.”
The school held a prayer service on Monday, June 23. “Today’s a very difficult and hard day for the entire community of Saint Thomas Aquinas, but also for the entire Archdiocese of Miami,” Juan Di Prado, senior director of communications, Archdiocese of Miami, said, per NBC 6. “As we gather here to pray for three star students and two former students who were involved in this terrible accident over the weekend.”
Bradley, Brown and Finkel all remain in the hospital; and GoFundMe pages have been created for each teenager to help with the unexpected medical expenses.
Ryan is in the ICU in critical condition. She has been intubated and has serious injuries to her brain and lungs, and suffered fractures to her ribs, pelvis, and spine, per her GoFundMe.
Finkel also has several serious injuries, with a brain hemorrhage, broken ribs and a broken collarbone. His GoFundMe said he is also “receiving critical care and fighting hard to heal.”
Angel is suffering from a collapsed lung, a broken femur and a broken ankle. A GoFundMe for the teen said he “has a long road ahead,” which will include surgeries, recovery, and physical therapy.
