MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Many of his friends from Miami Sunset Senior High School still could not believe Nedian "Ned" Alvarez was dead.
A Twitter user who said Alvarez was his childhood friend had some advice: "Don't ever let any of your friends drive if they've been drinking."
Detectives believe the 18-year-old driver was speeding in Miami-Dade County's Kendale Lakes neighborhood. He was traveling eastbound with four of his friends on Southwest 62nd Street, which curves around the Miccosukee Golf & Country Club.
Police suspect he was also likely under the influence of alcohol when he lost control of the blue 2005 Nissan Altima at Southwest 138th Path, where he crashed between a tree and a wall.
Police identified the front seat passenger as David Cuadros, 18. He was in critical condition. The back seat passengers were 18-year-olds Deandre Cabrali, Cesar Lizarzaburu and George Pong.
Vincent Fuentes, a friend of the victims, said Lizarzaburu and Pong are in good condition, Cuadros is in critical condition and Cabrali had surgery.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue took them to Kendall Regional Medical Center.
Early Saturday morning, a yellow tarp covered Alvarez's body. The car's roof was gone. Pieces of the car -- including the doors and the hood -- were scattered at the entrance of a complex. Firefighters had to take the car apart to get them out.
After authorities removed what was left of the car, and took Alvarez's body to the medical examiner's office, the site of the crash became a memorial Saturday evening.
Alvarez's friends were lighting candles, leaving flowers and writing messages on the wall. A friend said he and his girlfriend were expecting a baby.
"He finished school, he was getting a job, he was trying to move up in life because he was having a daughter,” Victor Calderon said.
Fuentes said Alvarez was a good friend.
"He was like a brother to all of us," he said. "Whenever we needed him he was there."