Funeral Fund For Wheaton Grad Killed In Crash Established

WHEATON, MD — A recent Wheaton High School graduate from Silver Spring was killed in Wednesday’s 5-vehicle crash at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Dean Road, police said.

Yonatan Tedros, 18, of the 2800 block of Harris Drive in Silver Spring, was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries, and later died.

A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help the Tedros family with funeral costs. Tedros, a 2017 graduate of Wheaton High School, was described as a “beam of light in human form.”

"He was an extremely joyful guy who always kept a smile on his face no matter what. He would lift the spirit of his friends and family just by being himself,” the fundraising page says. "He carried a warm positive energy that brightened the day of everyone he came in contact with.”

As of Thursday afternoon, $9,623 of the $12,000 goal had been raised on the Go Fund Me page.

Investigators say Tedros' Civic was northbound on Connecticut Avenue approaching Dean Road when a 2009 Nissan Altima tried to turn right from westbound Dean Road onto northbound Connecticut Avenue, and the vehicles collided. After the crash, the Civic crossed the median and struck a 2004 Mazda3 that was attempting to turn left onto Dean Road from southbound Connecticut Avenue.

The impact of the second collision caused the Mazda3 to be pushed into a 2006 Nissan Murano which was stopped behind the Mazda3 and also was attempting to turn left onto Dean Road from southbound Connecticut Avenue. The Murano was then struck by a 2012 Toyota Venza that was southbound on Connecticut Avenue approaching Dean Road.

>> See Related: 5-Vehicle Wheaton Crash Kills Man, Sends 5 To Hospitals

The driver of the 2009 Nissan Altima — Stephanie Danielle De Witt, 30, of the 1400 block of Tollison Drive in Bowie — was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Murano's driver — Analis Cepeda, 33, of the 14000 block of Whispering Pines Court in Silver Spring — was not hurt.

The driver of the 2004 Mazda3 — Sakinatu Marie Seisay, 22, of the 18000 block of Sunhaven Court in Olney— was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A passenger in the Seisay's vehicle was also taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the 2012 Toyota Venza — Ana Lorena Arevalo Orellana, 41, of the 14000 block of Whispering Pines Court in Silver Spring — was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

This collision remains under investigation. Anyone who saw the crash or has information about this collision is asked to call the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 240-773-6620.

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