Two Lower Mainland teenagers killed in a crash on the Burnaby-New Westminster border this week were promising teens with bright futures, according to friends and family.
Vancouver’s Samir Olyad Suleiman Ali, 18, and Burnaby’s Yasbirat Ytatek, 17, were on their way home from a soccer game in New West just after 11 p.m. on Tuesday night, when their car was hit by another vehicle allegedly fleeing police.
‘Wise beyond his years’
Ali, the oldest of nine children in his family, was preparing to go to UBC on a full scholarship in the fall, according to a GoFundMe page set up in his name by friends and family.
His family arrived in Canada five years ago as refugees, and Ali had recently graduated from high school and earned a full scholarship to the UBC kinesiology program starting in September, according to the GoFundMe write-up.
“Samir was known by all as compassionate, friendly, bright and wise beyond his years,” the write-up states.
‘Phenomenal person’
Ytatek, the oldest of five siblings, was preparing to go into his final year of high school in the fall, according to another GoFundMe campaign.
The write-up describes him as a “great role model for his younger siblings and community members.”
“Yasbirat was a phenomenal person and will be missed by many people,” states the write-up.
It goes on to describe Ytatek as an “amazing rugby and soccer player,” and a post on the Byrne Creek Community School rugby Twitter page remembers Ytatek as “a wonderful young man with a world of potential in front of him.”
Traffic stop
Metro Vancouver Transit Police have said one its officers had tried to conduct a traffic stop at about 11 p.m. on Tuesday but the driver allegedly took off “at a high rate of speed.”
The vehicle was located on fire a short time later at the intersection of 10th Avenue and Sixth Street after colliding with another vehicle.
The two occupants in the other vehicle were taken to hospital but succumbed to their injuries.
The driver and passenger from the suspect vehicle were arrested at the scene and face charges of prohibited driving, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and flight from police, police said.
The Independent Investigations Office, which investigates police-involved incidents that result in death or serious harm, has been called in.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or might have dashcam footage of it is asked to contact Metro Vancouver Transit Police at 604-515-8300.
Follow Cornelia Naylor on Twitter @CorNaylor
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