A 16-year-old girl who died in a crash in Walnut Creek over the weekend has been identified by the Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office as Alina Safi. Officers responded at about 4:40 p.m. Saturday to a report of a head-on collision on eastbound Ygnacio Valley Road east of Oak Grove Road, according to Walnut Creek police. Safi, the driver of one of the vehicles, was pronounced dead at the scene, while four other people from the vehicles involved in the crash were taken to hospitals, including a juvenile who was flown to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland, police said. A dog was also in one of the vehicles and a good Samaritan took the animal to a veterinary clinic for care. Safi was a student at Mt. Diablo High School in Concord and the school’s principal Markell McCain sent a message to the school community earlier this week about her death.
“Alina was a valued and vibrant member of our school, and her loss is felt deeply by students, staff, and families alike,” McCain wrote. “During this incredibly difficult time, we want to extend our heartfelt condolences to Alina’s family and loved ones. Our thoughts are with them, and with all who are mourning our loss.” A GoFundMe account has been created at https://www.gofundme.com/f/alina-safi-forever-in-our-hearts in honor of Safi and had gathered more than $4,600 as of Wednesday. The account described her as “a gentle soul whose heart was filled with kindness, compassion, and love for everyone around her. She was known for her radiant smile, her respectful nature, and her dream of building a future that would make her family proud.”
RIP.
Sad for all …. I had posted on ND about a vehicle going 75mph+ westbound driving erratically / recklessly weaving in and out of traffic narrowly missing other cars (between Cowell & Oak Grove on the downhill) ..other vehicles (and myself) had to brake hard to avoid a collision .. and of course “doubters” had to post countering my caution – unfortunately this can be the result
Unfortunate for sure, but that section going westbound seems to be a race track!…and with the off camber turn to the right starting the downhill…so very dangerous. Shocked this doesn’t happen way more often. RIP to poor young girl. Her whole life ahead of her
: (
…agree … unfortunately it happens more frequently there than most know about – “they” have tried to keep it quiet sometimes
I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest a radical concept:
Perhaps ‘They” should consider installing a divider between the opposing lanes. Something more concrete than those white sticks they are installing all over the city.
Well damn. Rest in peace.
Too young to drive unsupervised, too young to die. Age limit for driving alone needs to be raised to at least 18…… Very sad
Roads were much safer back in the day. We had driver ed classes and frankly real cars.
You are right. No phone distractions and cars were mostly the same size and built better. Drugs weren’t so available and people weren’t so raged on the roads..
A call thank all the gods I never got.
One day everything is fine
and in a flash, nothing will be fine again.
Incredibly sad.
The moment you leave your house in a car, walk down the street… its all a risk you are willing to take… Others always go fast….. cant stop that… its everyone for themselves, keep ya whits about ya…
RIP to her.🕊💔🖤
But I genuinely think we as a country need to raise the driving age to 18.
We can’t vote til we’re 18.
Can’t drink alcohol til we’re 21.
But I’m seeing and hearing about kids driving as young as 14.
She was 16, and that is still too young to be driving alone.
Also, I recall seeing 2 Teslas in that car crash and they catch on fire which made things worse.
Ygnacio Valley Rd. is full of drivers going way over the speed limit. It’s not a freeway!!
Drive safe, everyone.
Is it not illegal for a 16 year old to drive with other young people in the car unsupervised? This behavior and outcome are the reasons that was made a law in the first place. She was young, made immature decisions and not only lost her life, but greatly affected the lives of innocent victims and all of their families. Her’s included. I am not saying that this girl deserved what she got, but young people do this far more often than more experienced drivers.