Juan Sanchez Salas, 18, Killed in South Los Angeles Crash on Vermont Avenue
LOS ANGELES, CA (May 13, 2026) — Juan Sanchez Salas, 18, was killed in a multi-vehicle crash at a South Los Angeles intersection Tuesday afternoon, authorities confirmed Wednesday.
The County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner identified the victim as Juan Sanchez Salas. The deadly collision was reported at 2:03 p.m. on May 12 near Vermont and Colden avenues in South Los Angeles.
If you or someone you know was injured in this collision, or if you have information about what happened at Vermont and Colden avenues on May 12, 2026, contact local authorities or a qualified personal injury attorney to understand your legal options.
Firefighters responded and located the teenager with major injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Two others were injured in the crash and transported by ambulance to a hospital in unknown condition.
The intersection of Vermont and Colden sits in a densely populated residential stretch of South L.A. Vermont Avenue is a major north-south corridor with heavy daily traffic from commuters, delivery vehicles, and local residents.
What We Know About Juan Sanchez Salas’ Accident
The cause of the fatal collision remained under investigation as of Wednesday. Authorities had not released information about the number or types of vehicles involved, the direction of travel, or what triggered the crash. No arrests had been announced, and no details about the other injured parties — their ages, identities, or current conditions — had been made public.
What Comes Next in the Accident Investigation
Multi-vehicle collisions can involve a range of contributing factors — speeding, distracted driving, impaired driving, failure to yield, mechanical failure, or road conditions. Determining fault and liability requires a thorough investigation: reviewing physical evidence, obtaining the police report, interviewing witnesses, and reconstructing the sequence of events.
In California, surviving family members may have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim against any negligent party — whether that’s another driver, a vehicle manufacturer, or a government entity responsible for road conditions. Those rights have deadlines tied to the statute of limitations, and acting promptly matters.
Two other people were injured in Tuesday’s crash. Their conditions, as of Wednesday, remained unknown. Anyone who witnessed the collision near Vermont and Colden avenues and has not yet spoken to investigators may want to consider doing so — witness accounts of the moments before impact can be critical to reconstructing how a crash occurred.
Vermont Avenue is a major arterial that moves high volumes of traffic through South Los Angeles, mixing pedestrians, cyclists, buses, and vehicles of all sizes. When crashes occur on corridors like this one, speed, sight lines, intersection design, and driver behavior all become relevant factors — and all are subject to scrutiny in any subsequent investigation or legal proceeding.
The cause of the fatal collision was under investigation. No further details had been released by authorities as of Wednesday.