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A couple of young people died on Tuesday afternoon in a dramatic traffic accident in Doral, Florida, when the vehicle they were traveling in crashed into a pole and caught fire entirely.
The incident occurred after 6:00 PM at the intersection of Northwest 87th Avenue and 54th Street, less than a mile from their school, Downtown Doral Charter Upper School.
Sixteen-year-old Alessia Tucci and her 17-year-old boyfriend Mateo Dávila were heading to a basketball tournament at Mater Academy when the tragedy occurred.
Authorities revealed that the sedan they were traveling in was heading south on Northwest 87th Avenue when it lost control, went off the roadway, struck a pole, and ultimately caught fire. The accident did not involve any other vehicles.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the scene, extinguished the fire, and pronounced both occupants dead at the scene.
Mateo Dávila was a standout player on the school's basketball team and had an active college recruitment profile. The team posted a tribute on Instagram: "Rest in peace, dear player Mateo Dávila. You and your family will always be in our hearts."
Alessia Tucci was of Venezuelan-Italian descent, while Mateo was of Colombian-Mexican descent. The boy's twin brother told Univisión that the couple had been in a relationship for four months and were inseparable and very happy.
The school's principal, Jeannette Acevedo-Isenberg, issued a statement expressing her sorrow over the tragic event.
"Our entire community is in mourning over this unimaginable loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends, our faculty, and the staff of our elementary school, as well as that of our high school, where they were currently studying. Both students deeply loved their school, their teachers, coaches, and peers, leaving an indelible mark on all who knew them," it stated.
The Vehicular Homicide Unit of the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office has taken over the investigation, the causes of which have yet to be clarified.
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