The Harris County Sheriff’s Office has identified the three teenagers who tragically lost their lives during a police chase last week. The young victims have been identified as Christopher Granados and Justin Cruz, both 14 years old, and Alexander Romero, who was 16 years old.
According to the sheriff’s office, a search of the vehicle involved in a 45-second chase on Sorrel Ridge Drive early on January 2 did not yield any weapons.
Services have been organized for the three individuals who tragically lost their lives, and within a few days, more than 100 generous individuals have collectively donated $6,000 to the families through GoFundMe pages. It has been revealed that Romero and Cruz were students at Klein Collins High School, while Granados attended Klein Oak High School, as confirmed by Klein Independent School District’s spokesperson, Justin Elbert.
Elbert expressed the district’s condolences to the families impacted by this tragedy.
Alexander Romero’s family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to support them during this difficult time. His older cousin, Cristina Romero, created the fundraiser, expressing in both English and Spanish that Alexander’s parents, older sister, and baby brother are left with nothing but memories of him.
According to a Facebook post, she referred to him as a hardworking individual with a compassionate nature towards everyone he encountered. The services for him will take place on January 12 at Iglesia Cristiana Un Nuevo Comienzo en Cristo and will be open to the public after 6 p.m.
Two GoFundMe campaigns have been initiated for Cruz, whose memorial service is set for January 9, as mentioned on the page. One of the pages was created by his cousin, who expressed the heartbreaking news, stating, “With a heavy heart, we announce the passing of my 14-year-old cousin, Justin, on January 2, 2025.”
A GoFundMe page has been created for Granados, but it does not provide any information about the date of the funeral services.
We were unable to immediately contact the family members of the boys despite our efforts.
The sheriff’s office reported that on the morning of the crash, six male teenagers were discovered driving a stolen 2019 Kia Sorrento southbound on Sorrel Ridge. The driver, Romero, ignored the deputies from the sheriff’s office and accelerated the car to 90 mph before turning onto the 3900 block of Rolling Terrace Drive, where the vehicle collided with a large tree. None of the occupants had their seatbelts on.
When paramedics arrived at the scene, Romero, Granados, and Cruz were found “without any signs of life,” while the remaining three passengers were transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition. The identities of the survivors have not been disclosed due to privacy laws, but HCSO Deputy Thomas Gilliland mentioned that they are currently recuperating from their injuries.
According to previous reporting by the Chronicle, officers at the scene have stated that they will conduct an internal investigation of the crash. The sheriff’s office’s Pursuit Review Board will then assess whether all policies were adhered to during the incident.
Gilliland stated that the investigations are still in progress.