Montgomery County teens street racing on Muncaster Mill Road killed girl walking on sidewalk, witnesses say

Too much Justin Beiber watching maybe?

WILA reports a deadly crash near a private Gaithersburg school has recast the spotlight on teen driving safety.

Montgomery County's Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating whether street racing played a role in a serious Friday afternoon crash along Muncaster Mill Road. The collision killed Teressa French, 16, of Washington D.C. and seriously injured her friend, Emma Lowe, 13, of Gaithersburg. Both girls, students at Covenant Life School, were walking along the sidewalk when two cars collided and ran them over.

Around 2:20 p.m. Friday, nearby Magruder High School's parking lot shuffled hundreds of cars onto Muncaster Mill Road. Among the students driving home, Oscar Fuentes, 17, and Hugo Rompante, 17, both of Gaithersburg. Police say Fuentes was driving alone in his 1996 Honda Accord. Rompante was behind the wheel of a 2004 Chrysler Sebring, with classmates Johnny Boykin Jr., 19, and Keanu Lee, 17, in passenger seats.

Shortly before 2:30 p.m., a husband and wife heard both cars revving their engines while stopped at the intersection of Muncaster Mill and Shady Grove Roads. When the stoplight turned green, the couple told investigators both cars raced down the 35 mph roadway until failing to merge and consequently spinning out-of-control.

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