A late-night crash in Raleigh turned deadly after a speeding SUV lost control and overturned along South New Hope Road, leaving two passengers dead and a teenage driver facing serious charges.
Police said officers responded around 11:02 p.m. Saturday to the 400 block of S. New Hope Road near Rogers Lane after reports of a violent single-vehicle wreck. Investigators said a silver Toyota RAV4 was traveling northbound at a high speed when the driver lost control near the median.
According to investigators, the SUV first struck a small tree in the median. The force of the impact sent the vehicle sliding sideways on the driver’s side before it crashed into a much larger tree. Police said the SUV then hit the tree with its roof, overturned, and finally came to rest in the opposite lanes of the roadway.
Two passengers inside the vehicle suffered fatal injuries and were pronounced dead after the crash. Authorities have not yet publicly released their identities.
The driver was identified as 19-year-old Jonathan De Loera Olmos. Police said he survived the wreck and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Investigators later charged Olmos with driving while impaired and felony death by motor vehicle. Officials believe speed played a major role in the deadly crash, though the investigation remains ongoing as detectives continue piecing together exactly what happened in the moments before the SUV lost control.
The crash scene remained shut down for hours into Sunday morning as investigators examined the wreckage and gathered evidence from the roadway. Drivers were urged to avoid the area and use alternate routes while police worked the scene.
For many residents nearby, the wreck was another heartbreaking reminder of how quickly a normal night can turn tragic. What began as a late Saturday drive ended with two lives lost, shattered families, and a teenager now facing life-changing criminal charges as the investigation continues.
