Fremont teen identified as Hwy. 17 crash victim

According to an online fund-raising campaign, the teenager killed in Saturday morning’s fatal head-on crash on Highway 17 was identified as Armando Canales,16, a well-loved Fremont high school student.

As of 6:30 p.m. Sunday, a campaign set up late Sunday morning for the Washington High School student on GoFundMe.com had raised about $4,000 toward a $10,000 goal, thanks to donations from more than 80 people.

The crash around 2 a.m. Saturday also injured four other teens when a drunken driver going the wrong way on Highway 17 plowed into their car early Saturday morning, authorities said.

The driver who allegedly caused the crash, 28-year-old Ashley Marie Oliver of San Jose, had been driving north in the southbound lanes near Redwood Estates just after 2 a.m. and was also injured in the crash, California Highway Patrol Officer Ross Lee said.

Oliver was arrested on tentative charges of felony drunken driving and vehicular manslaughter after she was released from the hospital, Lee said.

A CHP officer spotted Oliver’s Chrysler minivan driving the wrong direction just before the crash but couldn’t catch up to the car and stop it in time, Lee said. Instead, he said, the officer arrived after the minivan collided head-on with a Toyota carrying five 16- and 17-year-olds.

Three passengers from the Toyota were hospitalized with injuries not believed to be life-threatening. One was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Jennifer MacRae of Fremont, whose 16-year-old son Ethan was good friends with Canales, started the fundraiser for Canales’ mother to help support her after hearing the news.

“It’s truly every mother’s worst nightmare,” she said.

MacRae’s son and others had been hanging out around Fremont with Canales Friday night, just hours before the crash, but they had all split up and gone home. They awoke Sunday to hear the terrible news about Canales.

“When you’re a mom, you feel like those kids are your kids. You want them to be safe,” she said.

“It feels like one of your own. And seeing the boys so distraught in probably losing the first close friend they’ve ever lost is really tough.”

A vigil will take place at 6 p.m. Monday by the flagpole at Washington High School, 38442 Fremont Blvd., while a remembrance will happen 6 p.m. Tuesday at Shakers Pizza, 4075 Thornton Ave..

Social media also saw people affected by the tragic collision share their grief.

rest in paradise my beautiful angel I hope your smiling down from heaven alongside Nevaeh & I pray you look over me #mandosworld4L 5/11/19

— lulbratnatt (@Nataleezelayaa) May 11, 2019

Rest In Paradise #mandosworld4L

— austin (@auusttinnn_) May 11, 2019

i hope you restin in paradise w nevaeh , long live forever in our hearts , the both of you #nevaehsworld #mandosworld

— angelina estrella (@angelinasilvaaa) May 11, 2019

anything will help. https://t.co/9B3qk6nKWP

— Jas (@Jassmmin__) May 12, 2019

Please support! Anything helps #MANDOS https://t.co/YWdsDcRIlv

— S (@sricafrente2) May 12, 2019

A friend of my 17 year old sons was killed Friday night by a drunk driver. He was a funny, kind, and genuinely authentic soul. This mother’s day his single mother is planning her 16 year old sons funeral. Devastating. Please RT and donate if you canhttps://t.co/bn44zKnTuF

— Heather & Wasabi the Wonder Cat resist (@Heathers1031) May 12, 2019

https://t.co/txmjRXLhhh
Lost a little brother this weekend from a drunk driver. Please don’t drink & drive. Taking such a young life is heartbreaking.

— Jalena Valdez (@JalenaValdez) May 12, 2019

anything helps https://t.co/CI9C07MkHe

— el vivster (@viviiiannaaaa) May 12, 2019

Staff writer Nico Savidge contributed to this report. Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.