Two teens lose their lives; speeding likely played a role  

A motor-vehicle accident on Park Street at Lincoln Avenue has taken the lives two teenagers. A truck with seven people aboard collided with a minivan just after 8 a.m. on Memorial Day. According to witnesses, the truck was speeding southbound on Park Street when it clipped the front of the minivan at Lincoln Avenue. One witness recalled the truck going so fast the it went airborne as it crossed the Park Street Bridge. 

The impact caused the truck to spin out of control and roll onto its roof.  It came to a rest at Webb Avenue, where it damaged a tree and the Alameda Bicycle sign. The accident crushed the truck’s roof, trapping the victims. Firefighters had cut the roof off the truck with the Jaws of Life. 

Briana Ortega, 17, from Hayward, a passenger in the truck died at the scene. Paramedics removed Simon Sotelo, 17, of Union City, from the truck and transported him to Highland Hospital, where he later died. 

They also transported the truck’s other five occupants to nearby hospitals with critical injuries. The minivan had one female occupant. She was also transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Alameda Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team is investigating the accident. Police say it’s unclear if drugs or alcohol played a role.