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Teen faces 7 felony DUIs after crash kills 5

By GABRIELLE LEVY, UPI.com
Jean Soriano, 18. (Nevada Highway Patrol)
Jean Soriano, 18. (Nevada Highway Patrol)

A California teen who admitted to driving drunk in the crash that killed five people on a Nevada highway was charged with seven counts of felony DUI Wednesday.

Jean Soriano, 18, appeared before a Moapa Township judge to hear five counts of driving under the influence causing death, two counts of DUI causing bodily harm, and two misdemeanor charges of driving without a license and failure to reduce speed in the March 30 crash, KVVU Las Vegas reported.

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Soriano and his 23-year-old passenger were hurt when the Dodge Durango he was driving rear-ended a Chevrolet Astrovan, which overturned, killing three brothers and two other family members. The van's driver and another passenger survived.

The victims were identified as Genaro Fernandez, 31, of Norwalk, Calif., Raudel Fernandez-Avila, 49, and Belen Fernandez, 53, both of Lynwood, Calif., Angela Sandoval, 13, and Leonardo Fernandez-Avila, 45, both of Los Angeles.

Soriano admitted he had been driving and told investigators he had "too many" Budweisers before getting behind the wheel. The police report said Soriano and his passenger were driving from George, Utah, to Las Vegas.

After the accident, Soriano was treated in a hospital and was immediately arrested upon his release. He is being held at the Clark County Detention Center in lieu of bail, which was set at $3.5 million.

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Officials in Orange County, Calif., said Soriano had escaped a juvenile detention facility treating drug and alcohol abusers on March 1.

An account has been set up to help at Bank of America to help with funeral expenses:

Fernandez Family Fund Account# 325017255701

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