Officials with the L.A. County Medical Examiner have released the identity of the 15-year-old boy who died following a solo vehicle collision in Castaic on Monday afternoon.
Esteban Gonzalez, 15, of Castaic, was the passenger who died following a solo vehicle collision on Hasley Canyon Road, east of Sloan Canyon Road.
Nicole Bowden, a close family friend, said in an interview with The Signal that Gonzalez was the kindest boy who made everyone laugh around him and he was adored by her son, Ethan Bowden.
Bowden talked about how there was still a huge shock resonating with everyone in the community who knew Gonzalez. She said her son had known Gonzalez practically their whole lives.
Gonzalez was killed as a result of the collision, while the vehicle’s other occupants were transported to hospitals for treatment of their injuries, according to Monday’s news release from California Highway Patrol Newhall-area Public Information Officer Carlos Burgos-Lopez.
CHP Newhall-area units were dispatched at 4:31 p.m. on Monday to the scene of the collision, according to the news release.
When CHP units arrived at the scene, they located a single vehicle that had left the roadway and crashed, read the release.
The release added that the teenage driver sustained serious injuries and was transported by helicopter to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills and two passengers were also transported by ambulance from the scene to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia.
Burgos-Lopez said that officers do not suspect any alcohol or drugs played a factor in the collision, but the investigation is still ongoing.
He said that the driver was a 17-year-old boy, and the two other passengers were a 14-year-old boy and another 15-year-old girl.
Bowden said her son was friends with all the occupants in the car and, to her knowledge, two occupants were conscious, and one of them was still in the Intensive Care Unit.
When asked how Ethan Bowden would characterize Gonzalez, his mom said he was smiling as he remembered his moments with his friend.
“He made everything fun. He was a comedian. He never let bad energy get to him. He always just smiled about it and laughed,” said Ethan Bowden. “He was just a happy soul.”
Nicole Bowden and her husband have organized a GoFundMe page to help the Gonzalez family as they navigate their loss.
“Esteban ‘Estee’ was a kind, gentle soul, who for the longest time barely said a word when he was around. We would tease him mercilessly about it, just trying to get a smile out of him. But one day, he just wasn’t so shy anymore, and he joined in with the boys with the jokes and the comments. It was a relief to hear the kid could come back with those funny one-liners the kids were always so quick to say to one another. He became a regular face around our home. We always had an open-door policy to the boys’ close friends, and it wasn’t long till Estee was walking right through our front door without knocking like the rest of them. He would come over to work out with our son Ethan or play PS5, and it just felt … right. Estee was always first to help out when needed and always as polite as can be,” reads the GoFundMe page.
Nicole Bowden said all the proceeds will be going toward helping the Gonzalez family’s immediate needs and planning a memorial service. To donate, visit gofund.me/d2ec5a18.
Capt. Ed Krusey, CHP Newhall-area commander, said in the CHP news release, “This is an unimaginable loss for the family and community, especially at a time that should be filled with promise and celebration (as summer break begins). We want to remind all young drivers that responsibility behind the wheel can mean the difference between life and death. One mistake can have devastating consequences – not just for yourself but for those who trust you with their lives.”
