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Teen Crashes Into Building, Dies

By Carl Willis

POSTED: Sunday, September 20, 2009
UPDATED: 5:45 pm CDT September 20, 2009

A Baytown teen was killed and three others injured after crashing into a restaurant Saturday, KPRC Local 2 reported.

The victims' relatives are hoping their loved ones will recover, while also asking what led to the crash.

Relatives said they never saw Eugenio Lara take one drink of alcohol.

However, Baytown police said they believed drinking may have been involved in the crash that took his young life.

The boy's aunt, Hilda Lara, said the aftermath of the wreck sent shock waves through four families.

"I wish nobody would go through this," Lara said.

According to police, Eugenio Lara was behind the wheel of an SUV that they said was speeding down Main Street.

When he came around the curve, police said the vehicle left the road, crashed into Baytown Seafood and caught on fire.

Police said alcoholic beverages were found around the vehicle.

Eugenio Lara died on the scene. Police said two passengers, a 16-year-old and 19-year-old Ethan Fuentes were freed thanks to firefighters equipped with the Jaws of Life.

Those two were taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Police said another passenger, a 17-year-old, escaped the wreckage and left the scene. A witness who did not want to be identified said commotion erupted shortly after the wreck when another car pulled up.

"Everyone just started fighting and nobody was concerned (about) the people in the vehicle," he said. "The one guy jumped out he got in a green Cadillac and took off."

He said it was a chaotic scene.

Baytown police confirmed that a car spotted leaving the scene was detained a short distance from the crash site. They said the 17-year-old was identified and taken to the hospital with a shoulder injury.

Family members of the victims said they want to know exactly what happened.

Hilda Lara said this sounds like one tragic mistake.

The father of one of the victims said he will not rush to make judgments.

"(Lara) was the designated driver and we trust him," Ezequiel Fuentes, Ethan Fuentes' father, said. "We don't know exactly what happened."

Police said they were awaiting the results of a toxicology test to determine if the driver was drinking.

They said the teens were coming from a party. Investigators are trying to find out where that party took place, and where the teens may have gotten the alcohol. They said charges were possible.

Friends and family say all of the teens had graduated from or still attend Robert E. Lee High School.
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