The crash was reported at 4:31 p.m. Dec. 21 after Begley, driving a 2008 Pontiac Torrent south on River Road, crossed left of center to pass three vehicles, according to a police report.
As he moved back into the southbound lanes, the SUV hit a curb, causing him to overcorrect and veer left of center again. The Torrent then collided head‑on with a northbound 2008 Honda Civic.
Killed in the crash were the Honda Civic’s occupants: Milton Alvarez Lagos, 35; Bety Salazar Lopez, 27; and Milton Salazar Alvarez, 10.
The Civic then struck a detached garage in the 300 block of Hooven Avenue before hitting a fence in the 300 block of Clinton Avenue.
The Torrent continued to spin and struck a 2002 Ford F-150. The driver of that vehicle not injured.
The Torrent’s speedometer was “stuck at 80 mph,” according to the report. The posted speed in the area is 35 mph.
Hamilton City Manager Craig Bucheit, during a recent city council meeting, said police have stepped up traffic and speed enforcement on River Road and the surrounding neighborhood, including adding speed‑warning signs and patrol presence.
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