SOUTH GATE, Calif. (KNX) — An off-duty Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy was involved in a deadly crash that left a 12-year-old boy dead and his 19-year-old sister injured, authorities said Thursday.
Authorities said the crash occurred shortly before 4 p.m. on Nov. 3 in South Gate.
Isaiah Suarez Rodriguez, 12, and his siser Alexa, 19, were traveling on San Juan Avenue when their vehicle was t-bonred by a pickup truck at the intersection of Firestone Boulevard. The force of the impact reportedly caused the siblings' vehicle to overturn.
Both siblings and two other adults were transported to local hospitals with injuries, according to the South Gate Police Department. Isaiah died at the hospital shortly after the collision. Alexa was reportedly released from the hospital a few days after the accident and was "starting the healing, recovery, and rehabilitation processes," according to an aunt.
"Although the investigation is ongoing, it is believed that speeding was a contributing factor of the collision," police said in a statement on Nov. 4.
A spokesperson for the South Gate Police Department told KNX 1070 they were not releasing the identity of the deputy involved at this time. The L.A. County Sheriff's Department has confirmed a deputy was involved, but it is not known whether he was driving the other vehicle involved in the crash, or a passenger.
According to family members, 12-year-old Isaiah wanted to be a chef when he grew up and was an avid L.A. Dodgers and Lakers fan. Family members have set up a GoFundMe page to cover expenses for the Suarez Rodriguez family.
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