Survivor of crash on I-15 only one wearing seat belt

The lone survivor of a single-car accident that killed four Las Vegas teens on Interstate 15 in California Sunday morning was the only person in the vehicle wearing a seat belt.

"This just shows the importance of wearing seat belts. They do save lives," said Greg Smoak, a California Highway Patrol spokesman with the Barstow Area Office. "I can't say they would be any better off, but statistics show they possibly would have been."

Robin Stumps, 47, who sat belted in the right front passenger side of the car that crossed the interstate and rolled over, remains in the burn unit at University Medical Center.

The other occupants, Diaunte Flannigan, 19, Jada Carrier, 16, Chennell Jones, 15 and Tatianna Thornhill, 17, died from injuries sustained in the 7:15 a.m. crash.

A spokesman with the Clark County School District said Carrier attended Sierra Vista High School, and Thornhill and Jones both had attended Legacy High School.

"A loss of this number in one vehicle is tragic," Smoak said. "Any loss is tragic, but especially when they are juveniles, that makes it so much worse."

Heading north on Interstate 15, Flannigan was driving at an unknown speed in the left lane 10 miles south of Baker when the car drifted into the left shoulder of the roadway, said California Highway Patrol Officer Bob Story.

Flannigan then turned the vehicle to the right to get back on the highway and lost control of the car. The 2006 BMW crossed all lanes of traffic and stopped on the interstate's right shoulder where the vehicle overturned.

Three passengers were ejected from the car, Story said.

Flannigan, Carrier, and Thornhill died on site. Jones and Stumps were taken by helicopter to UMC, where Jones later died.

The accident remains under investigation.

Review-Journal writer Tony Planas contributed to this report.