EVERETT -- Police were still trying to determine who was driving when teens fled a traffic stop near Everett early Saturday and crashed into five people off the side of the road, killing three.

Just before 1 a.m. Saturday, a Snohomish County sheriff's deputy tried to pull over a driver for a traffic violation, said Everett police officer CJ Hawley.

The driver fled. The deputy reportedly didn't pursue. The driver quickly lost control, crashing into bystanders in the 11700 block of Airport Road, Hawley said Saturday. Three died at the scene. Two others, both women in their 20s, were taken to the hospital. One suffered back and leg injuries. The other sustained "multiple traumatic injuries," according to the Everett Fire Department.

The area was a common hangout spot for the local homeless community, but no encampment was set up there. Multiple victims had addresses at a nearby trailer park, Hawley said. As of Monday, authorities hadn't publicly identified the deceased.

Police detained three teens who were in the car, but later released them at the scene, Hawley said Monday. They gave conflicting accounts of who was driving, making the investigation more difficult. Detectives were still working to figure out who was driving the car.

Under state law, police must provide juveniles with access to an attorney before they give a police interview. Because of this, police couldn't question the teens or conduct a blood-alcohol test and had to release them, Hawley said.