Teen charged in deadly Cherokee County crash

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A Cherokee County teenager has been arrested in connection with a deadly crash Tuesday afternoon. 

Yann "Fred" Engamba, 17, of Canton, was taken into custody Thursday night and charged with vehicular homicide, serious injury by vehicle, reckless driving, and failure to maintain lane. 

Engamba was driving on Old Orange Mill Road with three others in the car when he crashed into a tree on Tuesday. Steve Smith, 17, died in the single-car crash about a mile from Creekview High School. Smith was a senior. 

“He was happy he would always joke in class which was always fun. He was a great student-athlete too," one student said.

Engamba was treated and released from Wellstar Kennestone Hospital before being charged. 

The two back-seat passengers, 17-year-old Chase Burr, and an unidentified 15-year-old were also taken to Wellstar Kennestone. No word on Burr's condition, but the youngest victim has since been released. 

Following the crash, Creekview’s principal sent out a letter saying Smith was "an energetic student, who was known as a friend to all. He always came to class in a good mood with a smile on his face.”

It was not immediately clear what the students were doing off campus at the time. According to the Cherokee County Schools website, the end of the school day is at 3:30 p.m. and they crashed around 2 p.m. 

Engamba is being held at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center without bond. 

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