Four Coral Springs teenagers celebrating their high school homecoming got into a fender-bender on University Drive on Sunday just after midnight.

What might have been a mere delay turned deadly when, within minutes, their car rocketed backward at least 150 yards and flipped over into a deep canal. Only one of the four high school friends survived.

``It was a big bang. It sounded like an explosion,'' said Peter Lyons, whose house is adjacent to the canal than runs under Broken Woods Drive.

Evan Sinisgalli, 15, freed himself from the car and climbed to shore, where he screamed for help. ``He was in shock,'' said Brittany O'Brien, 20, who was sitting on an apartment balcony nearby with friends. They immediately dialed 911.

Neighbors who heard the crash at 12:18 a.m. said the car was upside-down in the water when police arrived. Officers dove into the canal in an attempt to rescue the passengers, Coral Springs police Sgt. Joe McHugh said.

Sean Maxey, 16, the driver of the 2007 red Volkswagen, and passengers Robert Nugent, 16, and Anthony Almonte, 16, were taken to Coral Springs Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead.

McHugh said that Sinisgalli, who remained hospitalized Sunday evening, had not been interviewed at length, and that police did not know why the car accelerated away from the accident scene.

Ian Sinisgalli visited his brother in the hospital early Sunday and said, ``He's doing fine.''

Maxey obtained his driver's license a few months ago and had gotten the red car as a gift from his parents. He loved to drive, said Nick Lombardo, 14, a friend of the three teens since middle school. He was their classmate at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

``They were my best friends,'' Lombardo said. ``My heart goes out to their families.''

Saturday night was homecoming. The four in the car did not attend any school-sponsored events, but had planned to celebrate that night, Lombardo said. They were on their way to pick up Lombardo when the accident happened.

``Sean was a safe driver,'' Lombardo said. ``He took all the precautions. He always told everyone to wear their seat belts.''

Police said Maxey apparently was trying to turn onto University Drive from Broken Woods Drive when his car struck a gold Acura driven by Kiran Parekh, 59, of Miami.

After striking the Acura, Maxey shoved the Volkswagen into reverse, McHugh said. It shot down Broken Woods, hitting a ``Speed Limit 25'' sign and ripping out part of a guardrail before overturning and plunging into the canal.

Parekh was not injured. He was not at fault in the accident, McHugh said.

In the Brookside neighborhood of the driver's parents, Dennis and Jodette Maxey, friends stood in the street Sunday morning, taking in the news and consoling each other. ``They are a beautiful family,'' said close friend Laurie McCurdy. ``We will be there for them.''

Jodette Maxey was in Italy visiting her daughter Jessica and was due back Sunday night, said McCurdy, who was picking her up at the airport.

On the Maxeys' front door was this notice: ``We appreciate your thoughts and prayers, but please no visitors today.''

Friends and family members planned to hold a candlelight vigil at the crash site Sunday evening.

``They all wanted to go on to college and do something with their lives,'' Lombardo said. ``I can't believe they died over something so stupid.''

Investigators asked anyone with information about the crash to call Officer Eric Schuster of the Coral Springs Police Department Traffic Unit at 954-346-1247.

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