A 15-year-old freshman at Westlake High School in Thousand Oaks was killed Tuesday when a driver plowed into a group of teenagers near a bus stop in what officials described as a collision. intentional.
Friends remember Wesley Welling as a cheerful person with a bright future.
Eric Paul, a close friend of the Wesley family, said: ‘In the summer he used to come here and swim in our pool. created GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses. “He’s a smart and fun kid.”
Paul said Wesley was excited to start high school, get together with his sister in Westlake and talk about college.
“He’s got his whole life ahead of him,” Paul said. “It’s horrible that this guy woke up yesterday and chose violence.”
Ventura County Sheriff’s Deputy Austin Eis was arrestedThe 24-year-old, involved in the fatal crash, was also involved in his stabbing at a Walmart in Simi Valley the previous Tuesday. According to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, he has been charged with seven felony counts, including murder and attempted murder.
Eis is accused of crashing his Toyota Camry into a group of teenagers shortly before 2:40 p.m. on Lakeview Canyon Road in Thousand Oaks. Wesley was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two girls, 14 and 16, were injured in the collision, as was another 15-year-old boy. All three were also taken to the hospital; Deputy Wendell Campbell, a spokesman for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, said as of Wednesday morning, two people had been released and the extent of a third person’s injuries was unknown.
Officials said the victim in the stabbing, a Walmart employee, was taken to the hospital. The extent of the employee’s injuries was also not immediately clear. Authorities did not disclose a motive for the crash or attack on the vehicle.
Messages remembering Wesley and offering support for his family flooded the GoFundMe page on Wednesday as it quickly surpassed its initial goal of $15,000.
Paul said Wesley was the middle child of three, raised by a single mother. They are a close family that often goes camping or going to the beach.
“They made a lot of trips,” says Paul. “They did everything like one big family.”
Paul said Wesley’s sister was at a public bus stop with her brother when he was fatally stabbed, but she was not injured.
Wesley also has a 9-year-old brother, with whom he shares a bedroom.
Paul said: “He loves being a big brother.
Candles and flowers piled up outside Westlake High School Wednesday morning, and a vigil was scheduled for later evening, according to KABC-TV Channel 7.
Supt. Mark McLaughlin of the Conejo Valley Unified School District.
“During this time of unimaginable loss, our thoughts and prayers remain with these students, their families, friends, and the entire Warrior community,” McLaughlin said in a statement. statement sent to parents.
