A father is mourning the loss of his son after he was killed in a car crash on Roosevelt Boulevard on Sunday. Three 16-year-old boys were in the car at the time of the crash, the other two were hospitalized. NBC10’s Leah Uko has the father’s reaction to losing his son while on active duty.
A teenager was killed after an SUV driven by a 16-year-old lost control and crashed on Roosevelt Boulevard on Sunday afternoon, according to Philadelphia Police.
The crash happened on the 400 block of West Roosevelt Boulevard around 12:30 p.m. when a red Nissan Pathfinder hit a tree on the left median, police said. Surveillance video captured the car hitting a tree and flipping over.
Police say there were three 16-year-old boys in the vehicle at the time of the crash. One was driving and two others were riding as passengers.
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The driver and one passenger were taken to a nearby hospital by medics, police said. Their conditions are unknown at this time.
The third 16-year-old boy was riding in the backseat and he was pronounced dead at the scene by medics just before 1 p.m., according to officials.
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The father of the teen who died identified him as Ryan Reyes. His dad says that he was a good student and a caring son. He was a 10th grader at Community Academy of Philadelphia.
"He was always a goofball that’s for sure. He definitely – his father’s son. But uh, definitely always was willing to care for somebody. Always was, you know, he didn’t hold no grudges against no body," his dad, Jose Reyes, told NBC10.
A student counselor at Community Academy described the teen as generous and humorous.
"He was a special human being, I tell you, and was irreplaceable," Jose Reyes said. "He's my second baby and I should be watching him grow. I should be watching him graduate high school and getting a girlfriend and playing sports."
The teen driver of the vehicle is currently being held in custody as part of the investigation, police said.
The father of the teen who survived told NBC10 his son and the victim who died were childhood friends. The father -- who did not want to be identified -- said his son told him they were driving back from a nearby church when the crash occurred.
NBC10 also spoke with Luis Caballero, a resident who lives along Roosevelt Boulevard. Caballero said he's seen countless car crashes outside his home and was once struck by a vehicle.
"It's too dangerous and especially like on Friday and Saturday nights," Caballero said. "In the past, I went to two funerals because of the on-streets over here."
Many neighbors did not want to be interviewed but shared their frustration over the constant crashed on the roadway.
Police continue to investigate the crash.
This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.
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