A former Riverwood International Charter High School student, 18-year-old German Santana Uriostegui, was killed May 22 in an early-morning car crash on Lake Forrest Drive in Sandy Springs.
Cirilo Enrique Contreras, 19, of Sandy Springs was driving under the influence and lost control of his 1998 BMW around 4:30 a.m., said Traffic Investigator Forrest Bohannon. He hit a tree, which split the car in half and ejected Contreras and his five teenage passengers from the car and down a 40-foot embankment.
A patrol officer found the teens an hour later. Uriostegui was pronounced dead on the scene. The other passengers were injured, one critically.
Contreras is facing felony charges including DUI and vehicular homicide.
Bohannon sees the incident as a cautionary tale for teens. About 200 children die a year in Georgia in car accidents. “We are trying to raise awareness,” she said.
Sandy Springs Police offers parent-and-teen driving classes at least once a month for free. To register, contact Bohannon at (770) 551-3325.
— Amy Wenk