Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

California Man Charged With Homicide After Intentionally Ramming Car, Killing Three Teens

California Man Charged With Homicide After Intentionally Ramming Car, Killing Three Teens
CBS Los Angeles / YouTube

Anurag Chandra, age 42, of Corona, California has been arrested and is facing possible charges after allegedly ramming into a Prius from behind intentionally.

The investigation is ongoing as more evidence is sought out, including toxicology reports.


Last Sunday in Temescal Valley, a Toyota Prius was hit from behind and presumably forced into a tree. 

In the car were six teenage boys from nearby Corona and Riverside. The car was so damaged, the fire department had to assist the teens on getting out of the car.

One of the boys died on the scene, and two others died from their injuries after being transported to the hospital. The other three teens also sustained injuries, but they are currently at the hospital and are expected to survive.

The car that hit the Prius from behind was presumed to be a white Infiniti Sedan, which was found a short distance up the road from the accident with visible front-end damage. It is presumed that the driver, Anurag Chandra, attempted to flee the scene, which would at first qualify as a hit-and-run collision.

The police were able to find Chandra based on witness reports, who expressed concern about Chandra's involvement in the crash.

Based on evidence from the crash sight and from witness reports, the police also have reason to believe the collision was intentional, and they have opened an investigation.

California Highway Patrol Lt. David Yokley stated: 

"Our investigation led us to believe Mr. Chandra intentionally rammed the Prius, causing the driver to lose control. The investigation has now changed from a hit-run collision to homicide." 

There's little to suggest what Chandra's motivation may have been to strike the Prius, which leads the police to wonder if the man had prior contact with the teens that would encourage him to want to cause harm.

Yokley stated:

"We really don't know [his motive]. Obviously, there was some sort of contact. We are looking into those exact same questions, of whether or not he was known to the victims."

There also is no evidence to suggest that Chandra was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash, but investigators are still waiting to confirm with pending toxicology reports.

Based on the information they've collected so far, however, Chandra is facing potential charges of suspicion of murder and assault with a deadly weapon. As of Monday, Chandra was in custody at Riverside County without the option for bail.

You can view more details regarding the investigation here:

youtu.be

The teenagers who died from their injuries sustained in the car crash have been identified as Daniel Hawkins, age sixteen, from Corona; Drake Ruiz, age sixteen, also from Corona; and Jacob Ivascu, age sixteen, from nearby Riverside.

The six teenagers were active in their church, Northpoint Evangelical Free Church, the Corona area branch of Olive Branch Church, who released a public statement regarding the accident.

The statement read: 

"Our prayers go out to God for His grace, comfort, and mercy to the families at this time." 

Tim East, a spokesperson for the Church, also stated: 

"They were bright young kids that had so much to look forward to and it was taken far too early."

The Church also held a prayer service at their Corona location, where more than one-hundred people gathered in prayer for the teens and their families.

The Corona-Norco Unified School District, where all six teens attended, also stated: 

"There is no greater tragedy that the death of a young person, and we offer our sincere condolences and continued support to the families."

Many have been tracking updates on Twitter as they become available, voicing their sadness for the loss of Hawkins, Ruiz, and Ivascu, and their disgust for the involvement of the probable offender, Chandra.



As the investigation is ongoing, more information about the crash, Chandra's familiarity with the teens, and toxicology reports will inevitably become available.

More from Trending

Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost
Kevin Mazur/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment

Colin Jost Hilariously Reacts To Wife Scarlett Johansson Becoming World's Highest-Grossing Actor

Scarlett Johansson has been acting professionally since she was 9 years old, with her film debut in North in 1994. Since then, she's appeared in movies that span practically every genre and garnered two Academy Award nominations.

With such a long and diverse resume, it's not completely surprising that, at age 40, Johansson just became the highest-grossing actor at the worldwide box office ever, with $14.9 billion of box office revenue for her 68 films.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Stevie Wonder
@RNB_Radar/X

Stevie Wonder Epically Shuts Down Rumor That He's Not Really Blind In Powerful Viral Clip

Legendary musician Stevie Wonder spoke out during a stop on his Love, Light & Song mini-tour to address rumors that he is not really blind, telling those in attendance that his blindness—which has been the case since shortly after birth—has also been a "blessing."

The long-standing rumor that Stevie Wonder can actually see has circulated for decades and even been echoed by fellow celebrities including singer Lionel Richie, who said in a 2019 interview that he's "been spending my whole life with him [Wonder] thinking he can see."

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Dr. Mehmet Oz
Fox News

Dr. Oz Slammed For Tone Deaf Health Advice For Americans On Medicaid And Medicare

Dr. Mehmet Oz—now the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services—was criticized after he offered Americans unsolicited health advice during a Fox News appearance, saying that Americans shouldn't "eat carrot cake" as millions face cuts to their government-funded health insurance.

The passage of President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" will cause 17 million people to lose valuable Medicare and Medicaid coverage. Under the bill, individuals earning just above the federal poverty line would be required to start paying out of pocket for certain Medicaid services, such as doctor visits and lab tests.

Keep ReadingShow less
A man and woman kissing with the woman's hat covering their faces.
woman in white hijab sitting on chair

The Biggest Lies People Told In Order To Sleep With Someone

When you meet someone you're attracted to, your first inclination is to try to impress them.

Sometimes, purely in hopes of getting them into bed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Adam Schiff; Donald Trump
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Adam Schiff Calls Out The Real Reason Trump Is Accusing Him Of 'Fraud'—And Yeah, That Tracks

California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff fired back at President Donald Trump after Trump accused Schiff of "possible mortgage fraud" in a Truth Social post—prompting Schiff to point out that Trump's attack is another attempt to take attention away from Trump's association with the late financier, pedophile, and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump, without citing evidence, said Fannie Mae’s financial crimes division found that Schiff had a “sustained pattern of possible Mortgage Fraud" that involved misstating which home Schiff used as a primary residence, allowing him to secure a cheaper mortgage.

Keep ReadingShow less