A survivor of a fatal ejection crash in Wrightwood, California, has detailed the circumstances leading to the wreck that killed four young people and critically injured another. Naomi Potter, 21, told NBC Los Angeles that her friend Nevaeh Harper, 20, was driving a manual-shift vehicle she was unfamiliar with.
Potter recounted that the group of friends, including victims Jason Potter, 19, Rebekah Cabral-Gonzalez, 21, and Cole Torres, 19, were traveling near Wrightwood when the incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. on September 4. According to Potter, Harper was manipulating the clutch or gear shift shortly before the crash. Potter stated she told Harper to "make sure" she had control of the vehicle just before it veered off Highway 2 and collided with a utility pole.
Officials reported that none of the six occupants were wearing seatbelts, although Potter, who was in the front passenger seat, asserted that she was wearing hers. Five of the six passengers were ejected from the vehicle. Potter and one other passenger were the sole survivors, with Potter sustaining minor injuries including fractured ribs and a bruised lung.
Authorities identified alcohol as a contributing factor in the crash. The vehicle was described as mangled following the impact. Potter expressed her gratitude for surviving, calling herself a "walking miracle."
Jason Potter, the father of victim Jason Potter, described the event as a profound tragedy impacting multiple families. Fundraisers have been established online to support the families of the deceased victims.