YORK COUNTY, Va. (WAVY) — We now know the cause of the tragic car crash that took the lives of three 16-year-old boys in York County last fall.
10 On Your Side obtained a copy of the Virginia State Police report on the crash. It cites excessive speed, lack of experience, and unfamiliarity with the area as causes of the crash.
The accident happened on October 26, 2019. According to the state police report, it was a clear night and the roads were dry.
Around 10 p.m., three friends left the homecoming dance at Tabb High School, heading east on Yorktown Road. Less than a mile from the school, they came to a curve. A nearby resident heard the crash and called 911.
When police arrived, they found the 2015 BMW sedan overturned 11 feet from the road. The car had struck several large trees.
All three boys, the driver Naile Tariov and passengers Logan Koontz and Conner Guido, were pronounced dead at the scene.
The report says they were all wearing seatbelts. All the airbags deployed, but it wasn’t enough to protect them from the impact.
The report says the driver, Tariov, was going 65 to 70 mph in a 40 mph zone. Tariov also didn’t have a valid driver’s license, just a learner’s permit.
The report says he was new to York County and likely not familiar with the roads. So when he came upon the curve on the unlit roadway, driving too fast, he was likely surprised and didn’t have enough time to react.
In a matter of seconds, three lives were cut short and three families were left grieving.
The report also notes that there’s nothing to suggest alcohol was factor in the crash.
