The Tyler Police Department have released the names of the deceased teens that perished in an auto crash, after a reported shooting and subsequent police chase in the early Sunday morning hours.
Tyler teens – Jaffet Cuarenta, Adrielle Vazquez, and Emigdio Gutierrez – all aged 17 – were identified by Tyler Police on Tuesday. Another victim who perished in the crash was under the age of 17 and not identified.
THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION
TPD Officers responded to a report of a suspicious person and shots fired on Lake Placid Road in Tyler.
According to reports, the caller informed that people were shooting firearms and offered the description of the vehicle as a 2009 Nissan coupe.
At approximately 4:00 AM, a local hospital reported, as required by law, that two patients had checked in with gunshot wounds and were suspected to be connected to the Lake Placid Road shooting. The patients’ names are being withheld in the case – but are now being identified as a 17-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman, both from residences in Smith County.
The suspect vehicle was located by police, and an attempt was made to contact the operators and passengers of the vehicle, until the suspects fled and a police chase ensued throughout Tyler.
During the course of the chase, Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers joined in on the chase as the vehicle left Tyler.
DPS used ‘a PIT maneuver’ to end the chase, ultimately ending what has been called a dangerous pursuit, with high rates of speed.
Three of the teenagers in the vehicle were killed in the crash and a fourth was transported to a local hospital and was later pronounced deceased by medical personnel.
This case is still under investigation, and The Tri-County Chronicle will update as more information is released.
It is the policy of The Chronicle, LLC and its subsidiaries to not release minors’ names under the age of 17, for obvious reasons.