Unlicensed Driver Pleads Guilty to Murder in San Diego Crash Killing Two Boys

Angel Velasquez Salgado, an unlicensed 21-year-old driver, has pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and several other charges after a high-speed police pursuit ended in a fatal crash in Mountain View that killed two young brothers, ages 8 and 4. The December 2023 crash occurred when Salgado's vehicle rear-ended the boys' family car, pushing it down an embankment and into a tree, where it caught fire; two women in the car, including the boys' mother, were injured but survived. Salgado's reckless attempt to evade police involved unsafe maneuvers such as swerving around cars and running a stop sign, prompting criticism and calls to review police pursuit policies. A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by the victims' family, alleging officers should have terminated the chase to protect public safety. Salgado is expected to receive a sentence of 30 years to life in prison later this year. Separately, a teenage driver in Scotland pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and drink driving after a crash that resulted in a young goalkeeper losing both legs, highlighting ongoing concerns about reckless driving and its severe consequences.