Teen Driver Was Speeding Before Deadly East Bay Crash: Police

OAKLAND, CA — A teenage driver is accused of speeding and driving recklessly in the moments before he crashed into several people on Saturday in Oakland, killing and injuring multiple others.

Police say the 17-year-old driver had been traveling well over 50 miles per hour northbound on 85th Avenue when he suddenly turned left onto International Boulevard and crashed.

Three people were killed in the crash, while three others were seriously injured, including one person who remains in critical condition, Oakland Police Department Chief Jame Beere said in a statement on Monday.

The driver, whose identity was not released because of their age, was also taken to a local hospital for treatment and later arrested in connection with the crash, police said.

Investigators are currently trying to seek a warrant for toxicology testing to see whether the teen was driving under the influence at the time of the crash, police said.

Investigators, meanwhile, have turned what evidence they already have over to the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, police said. Prosecutors will now weigh whether there is enough evidence to charge the teen.

"Let me take a moment to thank the Oakland Police Department, the Oakland Fire Department, paramedics, and all first responders who responded quickly to the scene," Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said. "Our hearts are with the victims, their families, and their loved ones and all those who were impacted."