A 16-year-old Ceres teen was killed in a high-speed solo vehicle crash that occurred Wednesday afternoon in the 4200 block of Blaker Road.

Sergio Alfaro was identified as the passenger who was killed instantly when he was ejected when the car he was riding in struck a telephone pole on the east side of the street. Three other Central Valley High School male students were inside the vehicle, one who was partially trapped until extricated by firefighters.

The names of the three injured students are not being released by police.

Injured in the 3:02 p.m. crash with non-life-threatening injuries were a 16-year-old boy and two 17-year-old boys who were all transported to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. The crash site is near Central Valley High School and east of the Ceres wastewater treatment plant.

The Ceres Police Department Major Accident Investigation team was called in to conduct an investigation in the circumstances that led to this traffic collision. The investigation is in its infancy stage. Investigators believe that speed, not alcohol or drugs, was the primary factor in the crash.

Blaker Road resident Francisco Garcia said the silver-colored 03 Infiniti G35 was one of two cars which were drag racing northbound on the rural road when one driver lost control. He also told a Sacramento TV station that the back seat passengers – including the boy who was ejected – were not seat-belted.

The crash preempted the planned “Every 15 Minutes” program which had been scheduled to take Thursday morning place at Ceres High School. The event is designed to simulate what can happen when a person drives while intoxicated. That event will not be rescheduled this year, said Ceres Police Department spokesman Sgt. Greg Yotsuya.

Anyone who may have information regarding the collision is urged to contact Officer Freddie Ortiz at 538-5678.

Central Valley High School will have grief counsellors available to any students affected by this tragic event.