SUNRISE, FLA. (WSVN) - An 18-year-old and a 17-year-old both died after a car crashed into a lake in Sunrise. One of the teens wasn’t inside the vehicle but tried to rescue the other teen when no one was coming out of the water, risking his own life.
The incident happened along the 1200 block of Silver Palm Boulevard, just before 10:30 p.m., Tuesday.
Police said the 18-year-old was the driver and was later identified as Venkata Sai Krishnamurthy.
Krishnamurthy was driving to a Taco Bell after a basketball game and got lost and was on his phone asking for directions when he drove into the water.
He did not survive the crash.
Neighbors heard the commotion off in the distance.
“I heard a lady screaming, ‘Oh, my son, my son he went into the lake,'” said a man in a green polo.
“Supposedly it was the mother of a 17-year-old who jumped in trying to save and that’s why she was screaming, trying to get some help, because her son was drowning as well,” said Josh Kelso, who lives neaby.
The family of the 17-year-old identified him as Aden Perry.
He was walking by with his mother when they witnessed what happened. He jumped in the lake to help but had to be pulled from the water by first responders.
“And then she said he doesn’t know how to swim,” said the man in a green polo, “and a moment later they are carting him away on a stretcher, and she’s wailing and screaming, and It’s very sad.”
He was transported to a local hospital where he died.
“It’s crazy that somebody has the courage to do that, and jump up and step up to the plate,” said Kelso. “It’s very unfortunate that the loss of somebody sacrificing themselves.”
Wednesday morning, a moment of silence was held on campus for Perry who was a junior at Western High School.
Family and friends said he was a bright young man with a bright future ahead of him.
“Last week he was nominated for all these awards at school,” said a girl with a grey sweater. “He was just a wonderful person and kind.”
“Very sad,” said Rosie Fairlie, who lives nearby. “It was very difficult.”
“I have young kids, too, you know, and I’m so sad for the parents,” one woman said.
“It’s awful. The kids, the families, everyone else had to go through it, and I’m heartbroken for them,” said Kelso. “I wish nothing but the best for them and their families.”
First responders surrounded the lake. Dive crews eventually found Krishnamurthy’s body.
Police said this was a single-car crash.
Divers pulled the submerged Lexus from the lake on Wednesday morning, while investigators try to figure out what went wrong.
The families of the victims at this time are asking for privacy.
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