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Shortly before 5 a.m. on Monday morning, members of the Fairfax County Police Department were called to the 2600 block of Pioneer Lane in Falls Church when an allegedly drunk driver crashed into a tree and several teens were ejected from the SUV.
"The driver of a Lincoln SUV was speeding ... Came to a hill, lost control, and the vehicle struck a tree," Fairfax County Police Lt. Jim Curry said. "It caused the car to tailspin, and that caused the crash to occur, and several people were ejected."
Curry said that the emergency call came from a passerby.
Five teens were ejected from the SUV, and a sixth had to be extricated from the truck. All six were rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The driver, who was wearing a seatbelt, was able to get out safely, though he was arrested for driving under the influence, officials said.
All of the victims involved were between the ages of 14 and 17.
"What is clear is speed and alcohol were factors in the crash and most juveniles were not wearing seatbelts," Curry added. "We're out here putting these pieces together to determine what happened."
Investigators noted that the driver was unlicensed, though the car belonged to a family member and was not stolen.
"As an officer ... as a parent ... to hear six juveniles were taken to the hospital with injuries that are life-threatening in the holiday season ... You usually focus on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, when we know individuals are out consuming alcohol and the assumption is that adults are out drinking," Curry said.
"It's easy to forget that juveniles do partake in alcohol illegally, but it's an important reminder that kids need to be responsible and parents need to have conversations (about it) with their loved ones to make sure everyone's safe."
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