CANDLELIGHT VIGIL PLANNED FOR TEENS LOST 3 YEARS AGO.

Byline: Amy Raisin  Staff Writer

CANYON COUNTRY - Three years have passed since her two teenage sons were killed in a high-speed car crash, but Alice Renolds has yet to

remove the boys' clothes from their bedroom drawers.

``I'm getting closer, but I haven't got to the point yet where I can deal with that,'' she said. ``After it happened, I couldn't even go into their rooms or touch anything.''

Despite the painful memories that come with the tragic Feb. 17 anniversary, Alice and Tom Renolds and their oldest son, Scott, will once again gather at the Soledad Canyon Road crash site Monday night for a candlelight walk to remember the four victims and remind drivers to slow down.

On that night in 2000, brothers Tim and Danny Renolds, 18 and 15 at the time, were killed when the car in which they were riding hit another vehicle head on. Canyon High classmate Dominic Ianozzi and postal worker Rodney Adams, the driver of the other car, also were killed.

Driver Marcus Lellan, now 21, who used the bike lane to pass a slower car at about 100 mph near Sand Canyon Road, was later convicted of vehicular manslaughter and reckless driving.

Lellan is serving an eight-year sentence in state prison.

Like the last two candlelight ceremonies, participants will meet in the Vons parking lot at Soledad Canyon and Sand Canyon roads before walking the brief distance to four white crosses that Tom Renolds erected after the fatal collision.

Family, friends and community members will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday and begin the walk at 7:50. Candles and roses will be provided, as well as hot chocolate and cookies after the song- and poetry-filled ceremony.

The first anniversary brought more than 500 people, while last year's ceremony included about 400. Alice Renolds said she expects more than 300 to attend Monday's vigil.

``As the years go by it fades in people's minds,'' she said. ``The kids grow up and the kids who knew the boys move on. But I want to keep doing this (every year). I think we're making some kind of difference, even if only a few people remember to slow down and drive safely.''

Tom Renolds said the grief never really subsides, but time has allowed him to better cope with the loss of his two younger sons.

``We found out pretty early that there were so many ways to question'' how it could have been prevented, Renolds said. ``There are a thousand different 'what ifs' that go through your mind. What if we'd made them stay home for dinner? But you can't do that to yourself.''

Shortly after the crash, the Renolds started a trust that has helped fund the annual candlelight ceremonies. But most of the donations go to two scholarships at Canyon High - for $500 and $350 - given annually to two male seniors.

``This helps to remember my sons,'' Alice Renolds said. ``While life goes on for everybody else, our lives have changed forever. Every mother wants people to remember her children. As long as we keep having accidents here, the message needs to get out.''

Contributions to the scholarships can be made to the Renolds Family Memorial Fund and sent to 27949 Park Meadow Drive, Canyon Country, 91387.

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Photo:

(color in SAC edition only) Tom and Alice Renolds lost two sons, Tim and Dan, in a traffic crash three years ago.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer