San Bernardino County, California – The fatal collision occurred on Friday, January 26th. Eighteen-year-old Alexandra Puentes was behind the wheel, carrying her 13-year-old sister, her 12-year-old cousin, and her one-year-old niece after finishing the school day.
“The last thing I remember is seeing the white truck in the rearview mirror, and that’s all I can recall,” Puentes said. “We just can’t believe someone was too distracted to notice us in the car.”
According to reports from the California Highway Patrol (CHP), Alexandra was driving her Toyota Camry on Phelan Road, slowing down to make a left turn onto Nevada when a Ford truck rear-ended them.
Puentes and her 12-year-old cousin sustained multiple injuries and woke up in the hospital. It was then that they received the devastating news that both her 13-year-old sister Gulliana and her one-year-old niece Analia had lost their lives in the accident.
“We are all in a state of shock and devastation,” expressed Puentes, visibly affected by the tragedy.
Amidst overwhelming grief, the family seeks to hold onto happier memories. They describe Gulliana as a loving and fun girl who took care of her friends and enjoyed simple pleasures like dressing in colorful clothes and sharing moments at Starbucks.
Analia, the youngest in the family at just one-year-old, was known for her passion for dancing and her love for tortillas. “They took my babies. I keep thinking it wasn’t real, and then I wake up and see my face, and it was real,” confessed Puentes, reflecting the pain engulfing the entire family.
The California Highway Patrol is conducting a thorough investigation to determine the exact causes of this tragic car accident in Phelan.