After remaining on life support for several days, a Lemoore teenager involved in a Friday night collision was pronounced dead at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno.

Initial confusion surrounded the fate of 17-year-old Vincent Vega, who was initially reported by California Highway Patrol as a fatal accident victim following a head-on crash between two dirt bikes.

Vega remained on life support at the hospital for several days, but was pronounced brain dead by medical officials, Kings County Deputy Coroner Tom Edmonds said.

"This must have been where the confusion came from," Edmonds said. "Someone heard 'brain dead' and thought this meant the same as being pronounced dead."

Multiple sources told The Sentinel that family members were looking into donating the boy's organs before letting him succumb to his injuries.

The Fresno County Coroner's Office said they do not have an exact cause of death yet, but expect an answer by Wednesday. As no criminal charges were been filed in the case, the matter was handed over to Fresno County officials for follow-up.

Vega was critically injured on Friday night while riding a dirt bike on Kings Street, east of 19th Avenue at 10 p.m. CHP reports that Vega and 17-year-old Justice Sanderson were riding without lighting equipment or helmets when they collided head-on and were flung from their vehicles.

Sanderson reportedly suffered a fractured femur in the crash and was listed in fair condition at Community Regional on Monday afternoon.

Details about funeral services for Vega were not available this morning.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2425.

(April 21, 2009)