DeathSpace: A Collection of Dead Myspace Users

Myspace Doesn't End At Death

James Gurevich, 17 -- Drunk Driving

Published Thursday, November 24, 2005 by Admin | E-mail this post

[11/24/05]

A Thanksgiving gathering ended tragically for the family of a longtime Woodside High School soccer coach who was killed along with two nephews when their car crashed into a house in rural Pleasanton, authorities said Friday.

David Crevelt, 47, of Livermore, a father of three and respected former coach at Woodside High, left his home late Thursday with his two nephews -- Joseph Ingenluyff, 21, of South Lake Tahoe and James Gurevich, 17, of Simi Valley (Ventura County) -- after the family had celebrated Thanksgiving together.

California Highway Patrol investigators said the 1998 Lincoln Town Car driven by Ingenluyff careened off El Charro Road at 11:30 p.m. before smashing into the side of a ranch house.

No one inside the house was injured. The cause of the accident is under investigation, CHP Officer Steve Creel said.

"Given the hour, the location and the severity of the impact, we cannot rule out that alcohol and speeding were factors in this accident," Creel said.

A final determination will be made after toxicology tests are completed, a process that could take as long as eight weeks to complete.

Sarah Ingenluyff was at a loss Saturday to explain why her brother, who was driving the vehicle, left with Crevelt and her cousin James at that hour. She said the men had been drinking alcohol.

"He protected me through everything," Ingenluyff said, choking back tears. "He was a little too protective. He was a very loving brother. He taught me a lot."

Crevelt's wife, Ingrid, was too distraught to be interviewed, Crevelt's brother and sister said.

"We're grieving," said Patrick Crevelt, standing outside his brother's Livermore house. "He was our dear brother."

Patrick Crevelt said his brother was beloved not only by his family and friends, but by his fellow coaches and soccer players whom he nurtured for 18 years at Woodside High. David and Ingrid Crevelt have three children, Tyler, 12, Kaila, 6, and Colby, 2.

Crevelt's sister Sharon Vintze said her brother retired from coaching in the spring of 2004 but continued working in insurance sales.

"We're torn," Vintze said. "All we can say is three family members are dead. One accident took our brother and two nephews."

Patrick Crevelt said his brother took great pride in coaching the young soccer players at Woodside High.

"He was great with the students. He had a tremendous amount of civic pride. He worked hard in the community. He had a zest for life. He loved his wife and children very much. He made me laugh. He was quite the jokester."

Rich McMillan, a friend of Ingenluyff, described Ingenluyff as being "close as a brother."

"He had no friends," McMillan said. "Everyone was family."

The corner of the Pleasanton ranch house where the car landed was smashed, and the occupants said they were feeling lucky to have not been hurt.

Jesus Grajeda said he and his wife were asleep in an upstairs bedroom when they heard a loud crash and felt their house shake. The couple live in the two-story house and are caretakers of Rancho Del Charro horse stables.

"I felt it jerk," Grajeda said. "We were sound asleep. It was scary. I thought it was an earthquake. I was expecting aftershocks."

Grajeda looked out his bedroom window and saw a large chunk of a concrete barrier broken and lying in the driveway. When he went outside, he saw the Town Car crushed like a tin can.

The vehicle had veered off the road and smashed roof first into the side of the brick lower portion of the ranch house. The force of the impact caved in the exterior wall of the home office, Grajeda said.

"I am sorry for the families of these three people," Grajeda said. "I also feel lucky that nothing happened to us."

Archives