Two Mukilteo Teens Die In Crash After Graduation Party
Two Mukilteo Teens Die In Crash After Graduation Party
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MUKILTEO – A car loaded with seven teenagers leaving a high-school graduation party slammed into a utility pole early yesterday, leaving two teens dead.
The driver, Evan Gillen Bentz, 17, who had just graduated from Kamiak High School, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Amanda Flanagan, 18, died nearly seven hours later at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Four of the survivors were treated and released from local hospitals. Eric Lundren, 18, remains in an Everett hospital in satisfactory condition.
The accident occurred about 3:40 a.m. near the Mukilteo Police Department in the 4400 block of Chennault Beach Road, said Sgt. Gene Hampel. “Speed was involved in it,” Hampel said. “We don’t know for sure if alcohol was involved or not.”
There were about 25 mourners at the crash site this morning, placing flowers, candles and balloons while rap music played. Some mourners carved messages into the utility pole.
One 17-year-old Kamiak junior, who wouldn’t give his name, said he was a friend of Evan Bentz. He said Bentz had spiky-blond hair and a nice smile, and was dedicated to karate. “He was a guy that was never sad.”
He said Bentz had just gotten home from work a couple of days ago, opened the garage door and found a midnight blue Jetta waiting for him, a gift from his parents for graduation.
He added that Bentz “was friends with people you wouldn’t think he’d be friends with, talking to the popular model to the kids who didn’t dress so well.”
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