Vigil held for football players killed in Sylmar crash

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Monday, August 25, 2014
A vigil was held at Birmingham High School Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014 for the three College of the Canyons football players involved in a two-car crash in Sylmar.
A vigil was held at Birmingham High School Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014 for the three College of the Canyons football players involved in a two-car crash in Sylmar.
KABC

VAN NUYS, Calif. (KABC) -- A vigil was held Sunday in Van Nuys for the three College of the Canyons football players involved in a two-car crash in Sylmar.

The crash happened Friday when Eldridge Salguero, 18, was driving with Isaiah Hastings, 19, of Lancaster and Alexander Manu, 18, of Reseda. The car lost control, swerved into oncoming traffic and hit a minivan.

Hastings and Manu were killed. Both graduated from at Birmingham High School, where the vigil was held. Salguero is in critical condition.

This split image shows, from left: Alexander Manu, 18, Isaiah Hasting, 19, Eldridge Salguero, 18.

Former classmates and family members paid tribute to the victims. Manu's mother said football had turned his life around.

"I've never seen him work so hard for any one thing like he did with football," she said. "

The other driver, 44-year-old Suh MinKyung, and her 11-year-old child were taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

It was unclear if alcohol was a factor. Witnesses told authorities that both cars were driving at high speeds and were next to each other when they crashed. LAPD said so far there is no evidence of street racing. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Police are looking for anyone who may have witnessed the accident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Valley Traffic Division Officer H. Fredo at (818) 644-8037 or Detective W. Bustos at (818) 644-8021.