OGDEN, Utah — A family in Ogden is trying to pick up the pieces after a tragic car crash killed two brothers, an 11-year-old and a 7-year-old, on Friday.
"Think twice. It takes a second to change somebody's life,” said Jessica Pantoja, whose cousin is the boys' dad.
Pantoja's cousin, his wife and their six sons were coming home after a soccer game when a car with two 14-year-old boys, one of them in the driver’s seat, collided with the Vasquez family’s car, causing major injuries and death.
Ogden Police said officers located a stolen vehicle near 28th Street and Quincy Avenue around 7:45 p.m. on Friday. When officers tried to stop the vehicle, the suspect driver hit the police car and fled at high speed, later colliding with the Vasquez family's car at the intersection of 31st Street and Grant Ave. That car had two adults and their six children.
The family identified the 11-year-old Izarel as the boy who died at the scene. On Sunday, they told FOX 13 News that 7-year-old Jaimito was pronounced brain dead and that they took him off life support.
"Izarel was 11. He was a good boy. He was bringing good grades to his dad, and Jaimito, he's his little junior. He looks exactly like his father, and from this accident, he was unrecognizable,” Pantoja said. “It’s not fair what my cousin is going through, what him and his wife are going through right now. It’s just horrible."
Family and friends made a memorial for both boys at the crash site that has been growing.
"We do ask, keep my cousin and his wife, our whole family, in your prayers,” said Pantoja. “They are going to need it."
Ogden Police had no new information about the crash on Sunday. They did say in Saturday's release that both 14-year-old suspects were male and also injured and hospitalized.
“Any charges stemming from this incident will be filed when the suspect(s) are no longer in need of medical care,” the statement read.
"There were two boys in that car. We want justice,” Pantoja said. "It was careless — that’s my opinion."
“This is an extraordinarily devastating incident,” Ogden Police said in their statement. “We are grieving with and for the victim family. We are grateful for the efforts of the responding officers, Ogden Fire Department personnel, Weber Area Dispatch 911 dispatchers, and the medical professionals who provided immediate care under extremely difficult circumstances.”
The family said they are thankful to those standing by them.
"We've seen it, the support on social media, people sharing it, people reaching out. It shows a lot and we're grateful for that,” Pantoja said.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the Vasquez family. It can be found HERE.
