A memorial is up on the corner of Central Avenue and East Howard Avenue in Dunkirk, for the victims of Friday’s four-vehicle accident which occurred just feet away. Luis A. Perez-Torres, 33, and Erik M. Medina-Rodriquez, 17, died in the crash. Photo by M.J. Stafford

DUNKIRK — A 2001 Toyota driving at an excessively high rate of speed is being blamed for the accident that led to two deaths on Central Avenue on Aug. 11 in the city of Dunkirk.

In a news release issued Friday afternoon, city police report Luis Perez-Torres, 31, of Dunkirk was driving the vehicle north on Central Avenue approaching the intersection of Howard Avenue.

Perez-Torres struck another vehicle that was starting to move North on Central after waiting for a stop light. He then struck a second vehicle that was also northbound on Central starting from a stop at the traffic light.

Perez-Torres continued through the intersection striking a third vehicle that was stopped at light facing southbound on Central. Perez-Torres vehicle then overturned. Perez-Torres along with Erik Rodriguez Montalvo, 17, also known as Erik M. Medina Rodriguez of Dunkirk, were ejected from the vehicle and the vehicle came to a rest on its roof in the Northbound Lane of Central Avenue.

Perez-Torres was pronounced dead at the scene and Rodriguez-Montalvo was transported to Brooks Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. A third victim in Perez-Torres vehicle was extricated and flown to Hamot Medical Center in Erie, Pa. Two victims from the other two vehicles were transported to Brooks-TLC Hospital System for evaluation and later released.

The investigation is still ongoing.