Deputies: Teens in fatal crash had just left house party

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By Richard Elliot

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County sheriff's deputies now say a teenager killed in a DUI-related accident left a house party minutes before the crash.
 
Seventeen-year-old Louis Castell died in the crash early Sunday morning.  Deputies said his friend, 17-year old Adam Di Millo, was driving drunk when the crash happened in a curve along Kelly Mill Road.
 
They charged Di Millo with DUI and felony vehicular homicide. Three other people in the pickup truck at the time of the crash sustained only minor injuries.
 
"Our investigators were trying to learn where these teens had been coming from, where they were driving from, and what had taken place," said Forsyth County Deputy Robin Regan.  "The investigation led them to a nearby house where it was learned that a party with about 60 teenagers had taken place and alcohol and drugs were possibly heavily present at that party."
 
Deputies charged 18-year old Jeremiah Funke, who lives at that house, with possession and consumption of alcohol by a minor and maintaining a disorderly house, all misdemeanors.  But investigators want to track down where the alcohol came from and say more arrests could be coming.
 
"We do want to find out where the alcohol came from," said Regan.  "We are still looking into who furnished it.  How did the teenagers get it? How did they bring it to the party.  We will make more arrests."
 
Regan did say Funke's parents were out of town on vacation when the party took place.
 
Just minutes after leaving the party, deputies said Di Millo lost control of his pickup truck in a curve.  Former U.S. Army Lifesaver Daniel Sergile lives next door and heard the crash. 
 
A trained first responder who saw combat in Bosnia, Sergile grabbed his trauma kit and rushed to the scene. He said he found Castell pinned under the truck. He believes the teen died instantly.
 
"Tunnel vision kicks in, and you just go with what you know," said Sergile.  "I checked for his vitals.  He didn't have a pulse.  I put my hand on his chest to check for respirations.  He was non-responsive."
 
Di Millo was released from jail Monday night on nearly $20,000 bond.