EL PASO--- One crash, with two opposing sides to the story. Teens involved in Wednesday morning's deadly crash say police have it all wrong.
On one hand, police say a tacoma truck hit a white dodge neon.
They accuse Michael Fraley, 21, of driving drunk and losing control, causing the deaths of four people.
Wednesday night, you heard exclusively on Newschannel 9 from two teens riding in the Tacoma with Fraley; Michael Gonzalez, and Danielle McGriff.
Gonzalez' sister, Ashley, was one among the dead.
He and McGriff say their side of the story is much different than that of the police.
"No one was drunk like how the cops would say they were, no. People only had one or two beers," said Gonzalez.
The teens admit their group of friends was out in the desert drinking at a bonfire, but they say alcohol did not contribute to the horrifying crash.
"I just want to clarify it was not mike's fault, the one in the toyota. He did not hit the neon, he did not hit anything, he just turned his tires and his tires locked and we flipped over," Gonzalez said.
In fact, Gonzalez said it was the driver of the Neon, 21-year-old Brian Chavez, who veered too close to the truck, causing Fraley to lose control.
Fraley is charged with four counts of intoxicated manslaughter, one count of intoxicated assault.
Friday, NewsChannel 9 went back to police with the teens' version of the story.
"We do know alcohol was involved, we know that they were traveling above the posted speed limit, and so those things we do know for sure," said police spokesman Javier Sambrano.
That speed in such a large SUV, is dangerous to begin with.
"It's very easy to lose control in those type of vehicles. They are not meant for speed, they are not meant to take any type of quick turns," he said. "In any traffic fatality, we inspect the vehicles, make sure there's not any... mechanical problems that could have contributed."
Police are still completing that mechanical report, and even when it's done we won't know the answer.
That will stay in the hands of police and prosecutors until the case hits the courts.
Police say while they don't have Fraley's blood alcohol level yet, an affidavit indicates an officer smelled alcohol on his breath.
They say that's probable cause to charge him.
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