Anaheim crash: teen driver's flight leaves family devastated
A routine drive home turned tragically fatal Tuesday morning in Anaheim, claiming the lives of a 70-year-old man and a 14-year-old student in a devastating collision fueled by a reckless police chase. The incident, occurring near Lincoln Avenue and Anaheim Boulevard, has left one Family grappling with unimaginable loss and raises serious questions about police protocol in high-speed pursuits.
The last phone call and a father’s routine
Arlene Viveros, the daughter of Alberto Piedra Viveros, recounts the agonizing moment she learned of her father's death. She spoke with him just minutes before the crash, a conversation she now cherishes as their last. Alberto, a 70-year-old returning from work, was driving his red Camry when the chaos unfolded. “I still expect him to come home,” she lamented, a sentiment echoing the disbelief and profound grief consuming his Family of eleven children.
The sequence of events began with an Anaheim Police Department officer spotting a silver Infiniti sedan speeding near Cypress Street and Harbor Boulevard around 12:45 a.m. The driver, a 19-year-old, reportedly accelerated away when officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop. While a pursuit was not officially launched, the Infiniti’s subsequent impact rippled outwards, ultimately bringing Alberto Viveros’s life to a sudden and brutal end.
A cascade of loss: two young lives cut short
Four vehicles were involved in the crash, the Infiniti colliding with Alberto Viveros' Camry. Tragically, Andrew Joseph Sanchez, a 14-year-old student at Anaheim High School, was pronounced dead at the scene, riding as a front-seat passenger in the Infiniti. Two female students from Katella High School were also in the backseat, their fates thankfully less severe, but the incident serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of life. But what nobody is discussing is the potential for preventative action. Was the decision to forgo a full pursuit justifiable, given the escalating risk?
Arlene Viveros’s search for her father began when he failed to return home. Initially unaware of the crash, she retraced his route, a journey that culminated in a horrifying realization. “The 70-year-old man is my dad,” she stated, the words carrying the weight of unbearable sorrow. She expressed a desire for justice, yet tempered by a characteristic understanding of her father’s forgiving nature. “I want to be mad, but I also know my dad is a very forgiving person…”
The investigation points towards the Infiniti striking a blue sedan before careening into Alberto Viveros’s vehicle. The 19-year-old driver, currently hospitalized, faces an uncertain legal future as authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash. The lack of filed charges, however, only adds to the frustration felt by those left behind.
The incident underscores a disturbing trend: the escalating dangers of high-speed driving and the complex decisions law enforcement must make in balancing public safety and the potential for escalating risks during pursuits. Alberto Piedra Viveros's death, alongside that of Andrew Joseph Sanchez, are a harrowing testament to the devastating consequences of those choices. The echoes of Arlene Viveros's final phone call with her father serve as a poignant reminder of what is lost – and a desperate plea for a safer future.