Teen passenger in car killed in crash

The year's 81st traffic fatality in Metro Police's jurisdiction occurred Saturday when a man lost control of his vehicle and slid into a tree, killing his 17-year-old passenger.

Evan Ebinim was driving a 1988 Buick eastbound on Jewel Avenue, just west of Union Street, when the car left the road and began sliding on loose gravel on the eastbound shoulder, witnesses said.

The Buick came back on the road only to veer off the south edge of the road and strike a tree with its right side at about 5:45 a.m., Metro Police said.

Ebinim and his passenger, who has not yet been identified, were taken to University Medical Center where the passenger was pronounced dead. The accident is still under investigation, police said.

The Metro Accident Investigations Section also is looking into another Saturday accident involving a car and an in-line skater on Desert Inn Road east of the Arville Street intersection.

Police said the skater veered into the path of a Mazda 2S shortly after 7 a.m. Jaywalking appears to be the cause of the accident, police said.

The skater was struck when he tried to cross the eastbound travel lanes of Desert Inn Road from south to north. The man was admitted to UMC with critical injuries.

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