DMV says driver in Newport Beach crash that killed 5 had expired temporary license

Jun 06, 2013 06:44 PM EDT

 

Published: June 6

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — The teen driver of a car that crashed in Newport Beach, killing all five youngsters aboard, had an expired temporary license, according to the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
Abdulrahman Alyahyan, 17, lost control of his speeding Infiniti G35 on Memorial Day, authorities said. The car slammed into a tree, split in half and caught fire.

 

The DMV initially said Alyahyan had no license or learner’s permit. But a more extensive review indicated that he had a 90-day temporary provisional license that expired two weeks before the crash, the Orange County Register (http://bit.ly/15LcuxH ) reported Wednesday.
According to a DMV timeline, Alyahyan received a learner’s permit in January 2012 after passing a written test. In July, he passed a driving test and was issued a 90-day interim license while the Department of Homeland Security examined documents indicating the Saudi Arabian native was in the country legally.
However, the department denied him clearance in August because his “legal presence” document was due to expire in less than 60 days, according to the DMV.
In February, Alyahyan completed a new application for a provisional driver’s license. He received the 90-day license, allowing him to drive while awaiting DHS clearance of new legal presence documents.
The DMV said that provisional license expired on May 12.
However, even if his temporary license had been valid, Alyahyan would have broken the law by carrying passengers under the age of 20, DMV spokeswoman Jan Mendoza said Thursday.
Friends said Alyahyan was obsessed with his car and spent hours working on it and driving it.
Orange County Superior Court records show that Alyahyan was cited in April by Irvine police for violating the terms of his provisional license, modifying the exhaust system of his car, and having an obstructed view.

The crash killed

Alyahyan,

Nozad Al Hamawendi and Cecilia Zamora, both 17;

and sisters Aurora Cabrera, 16, and Robin Cabrera, 17.