Drag racing blamed for deadly crash

Three people killed
NORTH BERGEN, NJ The crash occurred around 3:30 p.m. on Secaucus Road in North Bergen.

George Ghebrial, 19, and Mena Shafek, 18, both of Jersey City, were in one car, while Maria Layton, 79, and her 54-year-old daughter, Doris Etchegaray, both of Woodbridge, were in the other vehicle.

While the cause of the accident remained under investigation late Sunday night, authorities said it appeared that the teens' car was speeding when it crossed into the opposite lane and collided with the other vehicle.

Ghebrial, Shafek and Layton were pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. Etchegaray was taken to Jersey City Medical Center, where she underwent surgery for injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

Authorities said the teens' vehicle was exceeding the road's 25-mph speed limit, and police were trying to determine if they were racing with a third vehicle that was not involved in the accident.

There also were no indications that alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash.

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