PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — All four people killed in a car crash in Granite Bay Wednesday night have now been identified.
The Placer County Sheriff's Office identified the three passengers as Patrick Gainer, age 65; Paul Hammack, age 53; and Karan Pannu, 45.
They later identified the driver as 61-year-old Jerry Cepel.
According to California Highway Patrol, the accident happened around 9 p.m. at the intersection of East Roseville Parkway and Brackenbury Way.
CHP said a driver of a white Mercedes was speeding eastbound on Roseville Parkway when he went off the right side of the road, hit a tree and then hit a second tree. The driver and his three passengers died at the scene.
A memorial with flowers, candles and kind messages in their honor was created at the scene and continues to grow.
Victim Karan Pannu was a dentist at Laguna Star Dental in Elk Grove. Longtime patient Shaunté Derrick says he was the father of three children.
"He loved his family and because of his love for his family, he treated his patients like his family," she said. "He was just one of those types of good human beings. He was friendly, he was kind."
Derrick was a patient of Dr. Pannu's for more than a decade and says her children also went to his dental office.
"He wasn't just a dentist, he was a friend," she said.
In a Facebook post, Pannu's dental office asked for people to keep his family in their prayers, adding "rest in peace my dear friend. You will always be my family."
Derrick said this came at a turning point in Pannu's life.
"He just retired. He just retired to be with his family. It's so sad," she said. "He adored his wife. He adored his kids."
Locals say the group golfed together at nearby Granite Bay Golf Club.
ABC10 has also learned victim Patrick Gainer was the owner of Granite Bay Capital Management, a financial planning firm based in Roseville.
It's unclear exactly what led up to the crash Wednesday night.
Neighbor Cindy Schlenz recalls hearing the moment the crash happen.
"We were just like, 'what the heck was that?'" she said. "Like a big thud... then we heard the sirens and so we looked out the side window and saw the flames... It's going to be a lasting effect on a lot of people, especially their families, of course."
People living near the scene of the accident say they were in shock after hearing about it.
"I would say it's a tight-knit neighborhood in Treelake of about 500 homes... that's why everyone I know that's been talking about this is devastated," said Alison Ward, a Granite Bay resident. "It was so disturbing to hear from other friends and neighbors. Seeing this is bone-chilling."
Throughout the day Thursday, neighbors passed by the crash site which is now a memorial for the four victims. Ward says speeding is a constant problem on E Roseville Parkway.
"I think people go really fast. I feel like this is a see and be seen boulevard," she said. "Maybe you need some kind of radar enforcement that posts speed."
CHP Auburn says they've had enforcement on the road after receiving speeding complaints. They're urging all drivers to slow down and arrive alive.
"It is the holiday season. We want to make sure that everybody gets to their destination safely," said CHP spokesperson Yvette Norman.
It’s unknown if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash and officials are continuing to investigate.
(Editor's Note: This article has been updated to correct Mr. Gainer's name.)
Watch more on ABC10: Timeline | What we know about the death of a CHP commander and her husband
