Texas Teen Killed in Fatal Rollover Crash Just Before 19th Birthday
Surveillance video captures the moments leading up to the tragic incident where 18-year-old Serenity Rangel lost control of her vehicle.
An 18-year-old Texas resident, Serenity Rangel, died in a severe rollover crash on Thursday, less than a month before her 19th birthday. The incident occurred as she was reportedly en route to her boyfriend's home in Dallas.
Surveillance footage released following the crash shows Rangel's car veering off the road at a high rate of speed. The vehicle then plunged down an embankment, rolling multiple times before landing upside down on a service road. Sparks were seen near two parked vehicles as Rangel's car came to a rest.
Investigators are currently examining the circumstances surrounding the fatal crash, though initial reports suggest high speed may have been a contributing factor. Rangel was pronounced dead at the scene.
Friends and family have expressed shock and grief over the tragedy. "What was she thinking? Who made her go that fast? What caused it? Was she mad? I wish she would have told me how she felt," Jayla Carrizales, a friend, told NBC6.
Rangel, described by her family as a "bright, joyful light that filled every room," was due to celebrate her 19th birthday on November 29. Her family remembered her in an obituary as someone who "truly enjoyed life, always getting into something, embracing every moment, and living life to the absolute fullest."
Her family noted her achievements, including high school graduation and college attendance, and her passion for makeup, fashion, and music. They stated that her "fierce spirit, her laughter, music, her accomplishments and her radiant smile will live on forever."