Tragic end to young lives (Calif)

Inland Valley daily bulletin ^ | 9-04-2012 | Melissa Pinion-Whitt, Staff writer

[Bullish]

ONTARIO - Comments posted on a Twitter account belonging to one of five men killed in Sunday's car crash described intoxication and speeding at 120 mph about 20 minutes before the collision.

The comment, "Drunk (expletive) going 120 drifting corners" was posted at 1:19 a.m. on an account belonging to Ervin McKinness, 21, of Ontario.

The post ended with the acronym Y.O.L.O., which means "You Only Live Once."

The crash occurred at 1:41 a.m., killing McKinness, Marquell Bogan, 23, and Dylan George, 20, both of Ontario; Jonathan Waston, 21, of San Bernardino, and JaJuan Bennett, 23, of Rancho Cucamonga.

"It's a very tragic situation," said Ontario police Cpl. Bill Russell.

Police said it's possible that someone else may have had access to McKinness' account, or someone was using his cell phone at the time.

But the comments have nonetheless caught the attention of investigators looking into the cause of the crash.

"They're certainly looking at that because it will be a vital part of the investigation, but it's too early to give an opinion as to whether it was a cause or contributed to the crash," said Ontario police Sgt. David McBride.

Police say the vehicle involved in the crash has not been searched yet, so police are unsure if containers of alcohol were inside the car.

But based on statements regarding events occurring before the collision, police say there's a high likelihood that alcohol was involved.

Although McKinness' comment on Twitter made it sound as if he was behind the wheel, police say it was actually Watson who was driving.

Police said Watson was heading south on Haven Avenue in a 2005 Nissan Sentra when he ran a red light, lost control of the vehicle and struck a wall. The vehicle wound up in the back yard of a home.

Bogan died at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Fontana at 2:24 a.m. The other victims were pronounced dead at the scene.

Comments regarding the crash flooded social media sites of the victims' friends.

Edward Baker commented on his Twitter page that if McKinness was with him Sunday night, he felt the crash may not have happened.

"I told him ain't (expletive) to do in the hood but get in trouble," he said.

Another friend, listed on an Instagram account as "Chillysosa" said, "Knowing when I wake up I won't be able to see y'all faces, texts, phone calls, hang with y'all hurts more then anything."

[dagoofyfoot]

could have said the same thing about me, a some points in my life


I'm thinking the same thing, but many things happen as we age, responsibilities, faith, and getting more mature, and then one day we realize we're not the same person at all.


It happens to a lot of us.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks DaGoofyFoot. I appreciate the mention. I agree with your take on how it happens.

[bkepley]

Yep, there but for the grace of God...

[DoughtyOne]

:^)