Two teens are dead after a fiery crash following a high-speed chase early Friday morning in Montgomery County.
News4 has exclusive video of a car engulfed in flames at Chevy Chase Circle following the high-speed car chase involving Montgomery County police.
After 1 a.m., police ran the tags on a Toyota Echo about a mile away from Chevy Chase Circle and learned the car had been reported stolen, authorities said.
The driver of the Echo began to accelerate on southbound Connecticut Avenue before officers could attempt to stop him, police said. As the car entered Chevy Chase Circle, it crashed into a tree and burst into flames, police said.
Officers used fire extinguishers to attempt to subdue the flames as they removed the driver and front-seat passenger, but they could not rescue the two backseat passengers as the car became engulfed in flames.
The backseat passengers -- 14- and 16-year-old boys who family members say were cousins -- died at the scene. They're identities have not been confirmed.
“I’m told that dental records will have to be used,” Montgomery County police Capt. Paul Starks said.
The driver, 16-year-old Reynard Osman, was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. The front-seat passenger, 18-year-old Reeco Richardson, of northeast D.C., was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
One of the first responders suffered a shoulder injured and several burns but is recovering, News4's Erika Gonzalez reported.
Richardson's grandmother Maxine Miller said she's grateful police tried to save the boys.
"He could have just stood back and let it happen, but he didn't, and I thank him from the bottom of my heart for what he did," she said. "And he put his life on the line for my grandson and for the other boy, and he was trying to save the rest of them but he couldn't."
The incident remains under investigation.
