Three teenage victims of deadly crash identified

The three teens killed in a horrific Christmas night crash outside Pleasanton were students at Dublin High School.

Two of the victims were 16yearold twin brothers Mark Anthony and Michael Angelo Urista, who were juniors at Dublin High, officials and a relative said. The third victim was Javier Ramirez, also a student at the school, although his age was not given out.

Two other teens in the vehicle, Samantha Vargas Arceo and Jared Reynoso, were injured and remained in critical condition. Jared is a cousin of the twins and remains in a coma, a relative of the twins said.

The singlevehicle crash occurred just before 10 p.m. Wednesday, as the teens were traveling south on Foothill Road near Castlewood Drive in unincorporated Alameda County. For reasons still unknown, the vehicle veered into the northbound lane, hit a power pole and ultimately struck a large tree.

The impact trapped three occupants inside the vehicle and ejected two others, officials said Thursday. The three boys who were killed, including the driver, were all pronounced dead at the scene. It’s unclear who was driving the vehicle.

CHP officials said there were no initial signs of alcohol impairment, and a toxicology report will be provided later by the coroner’s office. Autopsies are still pending.

Ricardo Loza, a relative of the twins, told The Chronicle that the family is devastated and trying their best to make sense of the crash and navigate planning funeral arrangements.

The twins’ mother, Ana Reynoso, is “just trying to get all of the arrangements done, but it’s really hitting the family,” Loza said. “It’s a tragedy.”

Loza described the twins as happy, “energetic as hell, and just a tad bit mischievous.” The twins often questioned Loza about his job as a paramedic to explore potential career choices for their future, Loza said. He said he tried his best to teach the boys the importance of being humble, of warm, doublearmed hugs and of being invested in loved ones.

He said the boys were social, popular students in Dublin High’s class of 2021.

“They were never chill, they were just trying to drink up life,” Loza said. “They had an inner light.”

An online fundraiser has been set up to help the family.

Dave Marken, superintendent for the Dublin Unified School District, said Samantha and the three boys who died were all students at the school.

“Our entire community is mourning the loss of three Dublin High School students whose lives were taken much too soon,” Marken said in a statement. “We’d like to share our deepest condolences to the family and friends of our students and let them know they are in our thoughts during this difficult time.”

A candlelight vigil for the three boys who died will be held at 5 p.m. Sunday at Dublin High School.

Marken said the school district will provide grief counselors and staff members to support students when they return to school Jan. 6.