16-year-old killed, 2 teens injured in Novato car crash

NOVATO, Calif. -- One 16-year-old boy was killed and two others injured Sunday afternoon in a solo-vehicle accident that Novato police investigators say was caused partly by high speed.

Police were dispatched shortly after noon Sunday to a house in the 1100 block of Simmons Lane, at Marion Avenue, where a white four-door sedan had slammed into a brick retaining wall.

Officers arrived to find an engine fire, which they quickly put out, Novato police said.

Firefighter paramedics arrived to find the 16-year-old male driver unresponsive, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim's name is not being released at this time.

Two 16-year-old male passengers were taken to area hospitals for treatment of injuries. The two injured passengers had been assisted out of the wrecked car by passers-by who stopped to help, police said.

Police said it appears the white sedan was headed north on Simmons Lane "at a high rate of speed," and passed another car before veering off the road and slamming into the retaining wall.

Simmons Lane was closed in both directions for six hours while police investigated the crash.

Police said Sunday they have already started working with the Novato Unified School District to support students, teachers and staff affected by the boy's death.