Speed may have been a factor in the fiery crash that left a Pleasanton family of four dead, police said Friday.
The single-vehicle crash happened at about 9 p.m. Wednesday on Foothill Road near Stoneridge Drive, according to police.
Citing a preliminary investigation, police said the vehicle appeared to lose control before crashing into a large oak tree and bursting into flames.
Police said the victims – a mother, father and two children under the age of 15 – died at the scene. Their identities had not been officially released as of early Friday afternoon.
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Police identified the vehicle as a VinFast electric car, but they did not immediately say which model.
NBC Bay Area has learned that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has recalled certain 2023 VinFast models for speedometer and warning light errors.
Drivers have also filed complaints with the agency about steering and lane departure issues with the vehicles, but it is unclear which models.
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The company denied NBC Bay Area's request for an interview.
Police have not mentioned car malfunction as a possible cause.
The investigation is ongoing.
The stretch of road where the crash happened brought back eerie memories for Ana Reynoso. Her twin boys, Michael and Mark, and a third teen, Javier Ramirez Jr., died on Christmas night 2019 on Foothill Road as they were driving to help a friend. The twins were 16 at the time.
Reynoso learned about Wednesday night's deadly crash on Friday.
“It was shocking and emotional, very emotional," she said. "Your heart breaks."
Reynoso said motorists should not forget about the risks that come with the road itself, such as speed, turns, and darkness.
“I avoid it," she said. "I make sure to avoid it. I try not to go."
