PHOTOS COURTESY KITV Shane Bachiller, left, and Lanakila Vierra, both 18, died yesterday after being ejected from the car during the crash.

Post-party crash kills 2 high school seniors

The car was filled with high school students who were celebrating one victim's birthday

A car full of teenagers crashed along Kaukonohua Road early yesterday morning, killing two Waialua High School football players who were about to graduate next month.

Shane Bachiller and Lanikila Vierra, both 18, were ejected from the 1991 Geo Storm they were riding in at 3:47 a.m. along Kaukonohua Road, about six-tenths of a mile south of Farrington Highway.

Three other people in the car were injured.

The group was returning from a party to celebrate Bachiller's 18th birthday.

Police said the driver lost control, then veered north of the roadway and overturned, ejecting two of the five teens inside.

Bachiller was pronounced dead at the scene. Vierra was initially taken to the Queens Medical Center in extremely critical condition but later pronounced dead at about 4 p.m.

"The car was totaled," said Sgt. Michael Brady of HPD's Vehicular Homicide Detail.

Brandon Repollo, a classmate and football teammate of the victims, said the group was part of a bigger party that had been at a barbecue in Waialua on Friday and went to continue the party in Waipahu. Repollo said he had gone home earlier in the evening and did not know about the crash until later yesterday morning.

"Just in shock and traumatized," Repollo said. "Shane was my real good friend. We went to elementary school together, hung out everywhere together. This is real hard to take."

Repollo said yesterday a group of about 20 people had gathered to celebrate Shane's birthday. The car was being driven by another friend named Billy Lamug and was likely heading back to Waialua when they crashed, he added. He said Lamug does not drink alcohol and does not speed, and likely just fell asleep at the wheel.

"That's why I'm tripping out -- he doesn't do those things," he said.

The three other people in the car also went to Queens, though they did not have life-threatening injuries. They included a 16-year-old girl from Ewa Beach who was listed in serious but stable condition. Lamug and another 18-year-old man suffered minor injures but were hospitalized as a precaution, Cheplic said.

Police were still investigating what caused the driver to lose control. The two deaths were Oahu's 39th and 40th traffic fatalities of the year.

Repollo said everyone in the car except for the girl were Waialua High School seniors, ready to graduate on June 3rd.

"We were all football players since we were all young, from Pop Warner to high school," Repollo said. "They were just real cool guys -- outgoing, real funny kids, always keep people smiling and stuff."