Close friends and complete strangers gather at a memorial at Walnut Boulevard and Balfour Road in Brentwood where a 15-year old girl died early Saturday while helping transport a stabbing victim to the hospital. Photo by Art Michel
UPDATED APRIL 28, 2012 11:28 P.M.
UPDATED APRIL 30, 2012 9:20 A.M.
Authorities have identified a 15-year-old girl killed in a traffic accident early Saturday as Ashley Malone of Oakley. Malone died when the pickup truck she was riding in crashed on the way to the hospital while transporting a victim of a stabbing that might be gang-related, according to police.
Brentwood Police Lt. Tom Hansen said a call came in at about 12:15 a.m. Saturday reporting a fight in the vicinity of Balfour Road and Garin Parkway in which three people had been stabbed. Two of the victims transported themselves to local hospitals, while three female friends attempted to drive the third victim to the hospital in a pickup truck. While westbound on Balfour at Walnut Avenue, the truck ran a red light at Balfour Road and was broadsided by another vehicle, flipping the truck and trapping Malone underneath.
Firefighters extricated the victim from the wreckage, but she died of her injuries on the way to the hospital, according to police Chief Mark Evenson.
Police are looking for three Hispanic males in their late teens or early 20s who might be responsible for the stabbings, which were done with broken bottles. The three left the scene before police arrived.
“There’s a possibility that it was gang-related,” said Evenson. “There were some individuals (at the scene) claiming to be gang members.” About a dozen people were at the scene when police arrived, he said.
A 16-year-old Oakley girl visiting a roadside memorial at the crash scene Saturday evening said she was a close friend of Malone, and attended Prospects High School in Antioch with her. She and her friend had been at the “street party” when the stabbings occurred, but she was unacquainted with the people involved in the stabbing. She described her friend as a caring individual always willing to help someone in need, as she was doing when she died.
The occupants of the other car, a mother and her daughter, sustained significant but not life-threatening injuries and were airlifted to a hospital, Evenson said.
The three male stabbing victims were all treated and released at area hospitals. A total of seven people were transported to local hospitals in the wake of the traffic accident. The names and conditions of the other victims have not yet been released.
The investigation of the accident and stabbings is ongoing. Those with information regarding either incident should call 925-634-6911.
Correspondent Art Michel contributed to this report.
It's easy for people who come from homes that have two parents, or even one parent who is there for you to pass judgement at other people. But until you live the life of someone who's parent's are more worried about other things than their children it's easy for you to make assumptions. You have no idea how this girl grew up and what challenges and struggles she faced, none of which she chose or had control of.
I understand that people that don't live this life, or know people that live this life are generally closed minded to a lot of things, but when you don't have a parent figure molding you and showing you how to be, you may get lost. Ashley was a young girl finding her way through life the best way she knew how. How dare anyone judge her, She was trying to help someone who was hurt. Imagine it was your child in that car.
I hope that people will someday realize that you are no better than anyone else. Just because you wouldn't be out at 3:00 in the morning at age 15 doesn't mean that someone that does do that is a bad person. We are all human and we all learn and make mistakes. I hope someday you see that the disgusting way you judge people, makes you the bad person in the end.
RIP ASHLEY MALONE LOST BUT NOT FORGOTTEN <3
You are lost in something...that's for sure!
You make it sound so simple. How nice it must be for you to sit back in your perfect world and blame the City and parents you don't even know.
Do you think those activities you mentioned didn't happen while we were all growing up? Of course they did. The other thing you might not realize is that kids often LIE to their parents about where they are and what they are doing. Oh, but let me guess, your kids tell you EVERYTHING right? Your kids would NEVER make a bad decision, right?
Sure there are parents who could care less about what their kids are doing. There are also parents who let their kids do things I would never dream of letting my kids do. There are plenty of kids who are heading down the wrong path. There are some kids who don't have a chance to succeed because their parents are losers. There are teenagers who make really bad decisions. Some of those decisions end up life altering, and tragic. Sometimes, no matter what we say or do can keep bad things from happening. Kids are invincible.
I also know MANY young people who do none of what you rambled. They contribute to the community. They get good grades. They get accepted to Ivy League Colleges. They play sports, and on and on and on.
Thanks for "praying" for our City but in my opinion, your "PRAYERS" should be aimed at the people who are grieving for the young person who DIED and for the people that were injured. No one deserves to go through what these families are having to endure. Maybe your PRAYERS should be aimed at yourself, in hopes of becoming a more compassionate, understanding, non-condescending, human.
A life was lost too early. Bad decisions played a part yes, but she was someone's daughter, sister, and friend. It saddens me to know that there are people like you who have nothing positive to offer, only condescending judgement.
Good luck in your prayers.
I am a firm believer that you should always know where your kids are 24/7. If more people were advocates of their children, less of these tragedies would happen.
I pray for this town, Brentwood has had it's share of sadness in the past 10 years. Hopefully something good will come of this. Maybe parents will keep a closer eye on what their kids are REALLY doing, and not what they're "saying" they're doing.
How can anyone say there is nothing in this town for kids to do? Let's start with being at home after midnight!
This is not Brentwood's fault. Brentwood has great parks, churches, recreational activities, movie theaters, mall areas and more...all of which have the benefit of proper oversight.
And I know plenty of Brentwood kids who do none of the illicit things you describe. I also know some who get in some trouble - but that is nothing new to Brentwood or the times. And it has nothing to do with the amenities that Brentwood offers.
Blame (focus) on the parents and the kids, because you are correct - parents need to know where their kids are 24/7, and not feel pressure to let them be anywhere but AT HOME by midnight (if not earlier).
But don't blame Brentwood...The City has done a great job of providing recreational opportunities and public safety.