Teens Killed In Shades Crest Bluff Crash Identified

HOOVER, AL - Two teens are dead after their SUV plunged off the bluff on Shades Crest Road in Hoover across from Mr. P’s Butcher Shop and Deli. The victims have been identified as Yefry Said Hernandez-Paz, 17, and Griselda Noemi Zayas-Flores, 15.

Hernandez-Paz was a freshman at Parker High School, and Zayas-Flores was a freshman at Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic School.

The incident happened Tuesday afternoon, and a report by Alabama Media Group said the victims – a male and female – are both Hispanic. A school identification card was found in the vehicle, but authorities said they don’t know if it belonged to either of the victims.

Witnesses said the vehicle, a Toyota 4Runner, was traveling on Valley Street when it passed another vehicle that was stopped at a red light, continued straight and went over the bluff.

Jefferson County Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates on Wednesday said the victims were in a 1999 Toyota 4Runner that was silver or gray. Investigators used the vehicle registration to try to track to identify the owner or the victims but so far, they have not yet been able to contact anyone associated with the SUV.

Authorities say the vehicle careened over the bluff and about 150 yards down the cliff. The bodies were recovered shortly before 4 p.m. and authorities later recovered the vehicle.