😲 “We Had a Few Drinks” – Friends Reveal Alcohol Was Flowing at Cookout Hours Before 18-Year-Old Rico Montes Died After Truck Flipped into River

A single text message filled with teenage innocence became the last words Rodrigo “Rico” Montes ever sent his mother — and it still haunts the quiet streets of Lake Station, Indiana.

“Mom, I’m riding home with a friend, see you soon.”

That message arrived just before 11 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, 2026. Rico, an 18-year-old senior at River Forest High School, had spent the evening at a casual cookout with friends in a nearby neighborhood. He told his family he would catch a ride home and be back before curfew. He never walked through the front door.

Hours later, around 4:20 a.m. Monday, Lake Station police discovered a black pickup truck overturned and partially submerged in the cold, murky waters of Deep River, near the intersection of 27th Avenue and Wyoming Street — barely a quarter-mile from the Montes family home. The truck belonged to one of Rico’s friends. Rico was believed to have been a passenger. There was no sign of him inside the vehicle.

What began as a routine Sunday night gathering among high school seniors ended in a four-day nightmare of frantic searches, desperate prayers, and, ultimately, unimaginable grief. On Thursday, March 26, at approximately 11:20 a.m., the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Dive Team recovered Rico’s body from the river, roughly 50 feet from where the truck had been winched out days earlier. An autopsy was scheduled for the following day at the Lake County Forensic Science Center.

Friends who were at the cookout later told investigators and reporters that alcohol was present that night. Several teens acknowledged that a small amount of liquor and beer had been shared among the group — nothing extreme, they insisted, but enough that some had been drinking. “It was just a chill hangout,” one friend said in a statement shared with local media. “We were playing music, grilling, talking about school and graduation. Rico was laughing the whole time. Yeah, a couple of us had a few drinks, but nobody was wasted. He seemed totally fine when he left with his ride.”

Those details have since fueled painful questions about impaired driving, underage drinking, and the split-second decisions that can end young lives. The driver of the truck — a minor whose identity is protected under Indiana law — has been taken into custody. Charges remain pending, and the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office has declined to comment further while the investigation continues.

Rico Montes was the kind of teenager every small town claims as its own. At 5-foot-7 with an easy smile and a quick laugh, he was known as the guy who would drop everything to help a friend fix a car, tutor someone struggling in class, or crack a joke that lightened the mood in the wrestling room at River Forest High. He wrestled for the school team, loved working on engines with his dad, and dreamed of trade school or maybe enlisting after graduation. Friends described him as “the friend of everyone” — outgoing, loyal, and always ready with a ride or a listening ear.

His older brothers, Adolfo and Saul, have spoken publicly about the family’s torment. “All we know is he was at a cookout. He was going to go home, and he never made it back,” Adolfo told reporters, his voice cracking. Saul added that when the driver finally showed up at the Montes house around 4:45 a.m. Monday — accompanied by his own parents — the teen claimed he didn’t know where Rico was after the crash. The driver reportedly had a broken nose and bruises but refused to give many details before being taken for a medical evaluation.

The search that followed was exhaustive and heart-wrenching. Lake Station police, working with the Indiana State Police, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and Hobart Fire Department, launched a coordinated effort that included divers, K-9 units, drones, helicopters, and dozens of volunteers from the tight-knit community of roughly 12,000 residents along the southern shore of Lake Michigan. Candlelight vigils popped up along the riverbank. Flyers with Rico’s smiling face were posted on every telephone pole. A GoFundMe for search costs and family support quickly surpassed thousands of dollars.

Deep River itself became both crime scene and silent witness. The tributary, which winds through northwest Indiana’s industrial landscape, can appear calm but hides swift currents, especially after spring rains. Visibility in the water was near zero due to sediment and debris. Divers worked in grid patterns, battling cold temperatures and low light. By Tuesday and Wednesday, hope began to fade, yet the community refused to give up.

When the dive team made the grim discovery Thursday morning, the news spread like wildfire through Lake Station and neighboring Hobart. Classes at River Forest High were paused for grief counseling. Students gathered in hallways, hugging and sharing stories about the classmate they called Rico. School administrators released a statement calling him “a very nice, very caring Northwest Indiana high school student.” The Lake Station Police Department posted on social media: “The City of Lake Station extends its deepest condolences to the family members affected by this tragedy.”

The Montes family — parents Lupita and Delores, and their four sons, all River Forest graduates — has remained largely private while cooperating fully with investigators. They face the cruel task of planning a funeral instead of a graduation party. A memorial fund has been established, and local churches have opened their doors for prayer services and support groups.

The driver’s status as a minor has added layers of legal complexity and public frustration. Indiana law shields the identities of juvenile suspects in many cases, leaving the community speculating without concrete answers. Prosecutors have said only that charges are pending and that they cannot comment further at this time. Toxicology results from both Rico and the driver, along with a full mechanical inspection of the truck and witness statements from the cookout, will be critical in determining whether alcohol, speed, distraction, or mechanical failure played a role.

Friends from the gathering have provided statements describing a typical teenage night that spiraled into tragedy. “We had some drinks — not a lot, but yeah, there was alcohol,” one attendee told police, according to sources close to the investigation. “Rico wasn’t driving. He was just trying to get home safe. Nobody thought anything bad would happen.” That admission has ignited wider conversations in northwest Indiana about underage drinking, parental supervision at house parties, and the dangers of teens driving after even “a few drinks.”

Lake Station is no stranger to hardship — once a thriving railroad town, it has faced economic shifts and the everyday challenges of a blue-collar community straddling the Indiana-Illinois border. Yet its residents pride themselves on resilience and looking out for one another. In the days after Rico’s disappearance, that spirit shone through: hot meals delivered to search teams, strangers standing shoulder to shoulder at the river’s edge, and neighbors mowing lawns for the Montes family. Now, that same community turns toward healing and demanding accountability.

The pickup truck’s front-end damage suggested a high-impact collision — possibly with a guardrail, another vehicle, or an object on the road. Tire marks on the approach to the bridge were documented, but rain had washed away much of the evidence. The area near 27th and Wyoming sits in a semi-rural pocket where suburban homes give way to brush and waterway — a route Rico knew well, making his failure to return home even more devastating.

As Friday’s autopsy results are awaited, questions linger that may never be fully answered. Why did the driver apparently leave the scene initially? What exact sequence of events led to Rico ending up in the water while the truck was found empty? Small-town gossip has filled the silence, but police have urged patience, reminding everyone that rumors can harm an investigation.

Rodrigo Montes’s story has drawn attention far beyond northwest Indiana. Chicago-area media, including FOX 32, NBC Chicago, and the Chicago Tribune, have provided extensive coverage with live reports from the riverbank. The hashtag #JusticeForRico trended locally for days, now joined by #RIPRico as the community shifts from search to mourning. National outlets have picked up the thread, using it to highlight broader issues of teen safety, distracted and impaired driving, and the vulnerabilities of rural waterways.

For law enforcement, this case represents both a success in rapid response and a painful reminder of prevention gaps. Lake Station Police Chief has signaled plans to review traffic enforcement along river-adjacent roads and expand programs like DARE in local schools. The Indiana Department of Transportation notes that crashes involving young drivers remain a persistent problem, particularly on roads near rivers or lakes where escape can be impossible once a vehicle leaves the pavement.

In the days following the recovery, small acts of kindness have defined the town’s response. Neighbors have organized meal trains, sat with the family in silence, and placed flowers, balloons, and handwritten notes along the guardrail where the truck plunged into the river. One note, written in a teenager’s handwriting, read simply: “Rico, you were family. We miss you already.”

This tragedy arrives against a backdrop of rising concern over teen driving fatalities in Indiana. According to state data, distracted and impaired driving among young people continues to claim lives at an alarming rate. Deep River has seen its share of accidents over the years, often involving vehicles leaving the roadway on curves or during bad weather. The spring thaw and recent rains had swollen the river, making any plunge even more dangerous. Experts note that even shallow water can trap a vehicle or disorient occupants, especially at night.

Rico’s wrestling teammates have vowed to dedicate the rest of the season to his memory, wearing patches on their singlets. Graduation season will arrive with an empty chair and a community forever changed. Local businesses have begun displaying “Go Rico” signs, and watch parties for any future memorial events are already being planned.

The coming weeks will bring more answers — and more pain. The autopsy will determine whether drowning, crash injuries, or a combination proved fatal. Toxicology reports could take two to four weeks. If charges against the minor driver escalate, the case could move toward adult court, a decision that will spark further debate in a state where juvenile justice remains a sensitive topic.

For the Montes family, the void is unimaginable. Rico was the youngest of four brothers in a household that always welcomed neighborhood kids with open arms and home-cooked meals. He kept everyone smiling even when money was tight in this working-class corner of Indiana. His absence leaves a silence that no investigation can fill.

Yet in the midst of sorrow, the community’s response offers a glimmer of light. From the divers who braved the river to the officers who worked around the clock, from the volunteers who never gave up to the family that held onto faith, this tragedy has revealed the best of human connection. The driver’s arrest brings a measure of closure, but true healing will come slowly, one shared memory and one act of kindness at a time.

As the sun sets over Deep River, the water continues to flow — indifferent to the young life it has claimed. But the people who live along its banks refuse to let Rico’s memory fade. They will remember the senior who fixed cars with his dad, laughed easily, and dreamed big in a town that sometimes feels small. They will push for stronger safety measures along river roads. They will hold their own children a little tighter when they head out at night.

Rodrigo “Rico” Montes embodied the hopes of Lake Station — hardworking, kind, full of potential. His story is not just another headline about a missing teen. It is a mirror held up to every parent who has watched their child drive off into the night, every small town that has lost a promising young face too soon. It is a cautionary tale about the thin line between a fun cookout and irreversible tragedy, especially when even “a little alcohol” enters the picture.

The investigation continues. The community grieves. And in Lake Station, Indiana, the boy who sent one last hopeful text — “see you soon” — will never be forgotten. His smile lives on in countless photos shared across social media. His nickname is whispered in prayers. His story echoes as both a warning and a celebration of a life that mattered deeply.

Blue skies have returned to northwest Indiana, but the riverbanks remain lined with flowers. The town mourns together, supports the family, and clings to the hope that lessons from this heartbreaking loss will prevent another family from enduring the same unbearable pain. Rico never made it home that night, but his memory has brought an entire community closer — united in grief, determined in justice, forever changed by the young life that ended too soon in the waters of Deep River.