Victims in fatal Goni Canyon crash identified

Edwin Rico, 16, and Christopher Gonzales, 24, were identified as the deceased in the Goni Canyon rollover crash Monday morning.

The Carson City Sheriff’s Office says both people died after being ejected from the vehicle. They weren’t wearing their seat belts. A third person, a 22 year-old male, sustained minor injuries and was able to walk away from the wreck and flagged down help after the accident. He was wearing his seat belt. Officials said they suspect Rico was the driver of the vehicle.

Grief counselors were at Carson High School this week for Rico, who would have started his junior year Monday morning.

“Any student death is a sad thing and we mourn alongside the family with the loss of life at such an early age,” said Carson City Superintendent Richard Stokes. “We have for students and our adult staff who knew the student, grief counselors available to talk with.”

Deputies and medics responded to the off-road vehicle crash in Goni Canyon around 4:45 a.m. Monday.

The survivor reported the vehicle had driven off a cliff and rolled several hundred yards down a steep canyon embankment. He reported originally one person was dead at the scene but didn’t know the location of the third victim.

Emergency personnel located the vehicle one and a half miles up Goni Canyon.

One deceased male was located at the vehicle. After a search of the area, a second deceased male was located 100 yards away up a steep embankment. The SUV-style vehicle was located at the bottom of the canyon.

The accident is still under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Nevada Highway Patrol’s accident reconstruction team.

A GoFundMe account has also been set up for Rico to cover funeral costs for the family. To donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/23s5jxy4. An account for Gonzales also has been set up at https://www.gofundme.com/2lkzdms