Twenty-five years ago, our community was shaken by the news of a horrific crash that took the lives of two brothers, their teenage friend and a stranger who was coming home from the gym. While these losses were bad enough, it turns out the person responsible for the crash was a teenager himself and his reckless and foolish behavior created a nightmare that was just beginning.

The year 2000 was a different time. There was relatively no social media. It would be four years before Facebook was launched and seven years before the first iPhone was sold. Most of the high school kids had pagers or they carried quarters and used pay phones. If you wanted to talk to someone, you either picked up the phone or knocked on the door.

Tom and Alice Renolds were living a relatively quiet life in Canyon Country raising three boys. Tom worked for the L.A. Department of Water and Power and Alice was a computer lab specialist at the boys’ elementary school.

Feb. 17, 2000, was a regular school night at the Renolds home. Tim, the middle son and a senior at Canyon High School, wanted to go out and was picked up by some friends. Some time later that evening, Danny, who was only 15, also left the house.

Alice, Tom and the oldest son Scott were enjoying an evening at home when a group of teenagers came knocking on their door, hysterical. They told Alice they had come upon the crash scene not far from the Renolds’ home and could see Tim in one of the cars. They told Alice he looked like he was dead.

Alice began screaming. She told Scott to go look for Danny and she and Tom raced to the........

© Santa Clarita Valley Signal