Author: Charlotte Strauss Swanson and Arielle Darr
Amidst shattered glass and shredded rubber, drivers slow as they near the old oak tree to catch a glimpse of the site where four local Eagle Rock High School students lost their lives. The tree, which rests upon a median on Colorado Boulevard, marks the scene where these four teens died in a car accident.
At the tree’s base lie hundreds of prayer candles with rosary beads, pictures, and religious statues. Next to bloodstains that still remain from the crash, there are photographs of the victims posted around the tree’s body reminding those who approach of the tragic accident.On Wednesday, Aug. 27 two cars collided at 10:35 p.m. on Colorado Boulevard and Highland View Avenue, only minutes away from Oxy’s campus. It was first speculated that three cars were involved in a speed race down Colorado when one lost control and crashed into a Nissan Maxima which then slammed into the tree and immediately burst into flames.
In this car was driver Cristyn Cordova, who was 19 years old and eight months pregnant, as well as Toni Cordova, 16, Andrew Cordova, 15, Jason Hernandez, 19, and Carlos Campos, 19, Cristyn’s boyfriend and the father of her unborn child. Cristyn Cordova, Toni Cordova and Jason Hernandez died on impact. Andrew Cordova and Carlos Campos were both ejected from the vehicle, but survived and were rushed to the hospital. Andrew, the third Cordova sibling in the car, died of severe injuries early Friday morning. Campos still remains in critical condition at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, but is said to be improving.
Colorado Boulevard is a popular street-racing arena. Local resident and student at Eagle Rock High School, Amelia Elizabeth, admits that street racing on Colorado is a problem, but claims that locals are rarely involved. In reference to claims of investigators that racing was the cause of the accident, she continued to say, “Cristyn wouldn’t [street race]. She was a role model. She always said, ‘don’t do drugs, don’t street race, you have nothing to prove.’ And she was eight months pregnant . . . it was an accident.”
At first, witnesses claimed to have seen three cars racing down Colorado Boulevard, but over the past week different media outlets have reported a variety of stories. On Sept. 2 The Pasadena Star-News wrote that during initial investigations, police said “the crash may have been the result of a street race, but an LAPD statement Friday backed away from that assertion, saying that ‘there is no evidence that the involved persons or vehicles were engaged in an organized speed competition.'”
However, according to The Daily News on Thursday, Sept. 4, police said that the crash “was caused not by road rage but an impromptu speed race that stretched for five blocks.” While it appears that the cause of the accident is still undetermined, it is accepted that the cars crashed while moving at excessive speeds. Authorities are still searching for the driver of the third car, which witnesses say sped away from the scene. Investigators are also waiting for the testimony of sole survivor Carlos Campos. In an interview with the LA Times, Detective Felix Padilla of the LAPD stated that they have made “attempts to talk to him, and he hasn’t been able to communicate with us.”
The driver of the vehicle that collided with the Nissan was 19-year old local Rostislav Shnayder. Shnayder was not injured in the accident and stayed at the scene attempting to help the victims. The LAPD Blog claims “There [was] no indication that Shnayder was impaired by drugs or alcohol.” He was arrested at the scene and charged with four counts of gross vehicular manslaughter. On Tuesday, Sept. 2, Shnayder pleaded not guilty and remains in Los Angeles County Jail on $200,000 bail. If convicted, Shnayder will face a maximum of 10 years in prison.
The crash has highlighted the dangers of street racing on Colorado Boulevard, a major street used by Oxy students. According to an LA Times analysis of California Highway Patrol Data, “Between 1994 and 2006, there were 286 accidents that resulted in injuries on the stretch of Colorado Boulevard roughly between the Glendale Freeway and Figueroa Street . . . of those, 108 accidents, or 38%, involved speeding violations.”
Since the accident, both the police and local community have been very responsive to this issue. The LA Times wrote that the task force responsible for monitoring speed racing intends to reestablish its presence in the area. In an Oxy Weekly interview, Officer Walker of the LAPD said, “They are doing a lot of radar enforcement on Colorado Boulevard for speeders . . . and giving tickets . . . to violators. [They are] trying to secure the boulevard . . . but kids will always find some new street to race on.”
Students and community members have raised $4,000 to donate to the victim’s families and are also conducting fund raisers, initiating school awareness programs and attending a nightly vigil at the crash site.
A funeral service for the Cordova siblings was held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 5.
If you would like to donate to the “Cordova Children Memorial Fund” contact the Bank of America located at 2263 Colorado Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90041 or call 323-478-8418.
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