Put Kids First - Community News on Legislation, Predators, Alerts and Safety

A Surrey family is fearing the worst after an honour-roll student who may have fallen in with the wrong crowd didn't make it home after a fender-bender on Saturday night.

Gaganpreet Suveen Sandhar, 17, smashed up his father's 2001 Toyota Corolla at about 11 p.m. in a possible street-racing accident near 170th Street and 82nd Avenue in Surrey, Gaganpreet's sister, Randeep, said yesterday.

The teen and the car are missing.

Gaganpreet -- a graduating North Surrey Secondary student -- was hanging out with about half a dozen teens who are "a bad influence," Randeep said.

She described her brother as a "quiet guy" who doesn't drink or do drugs and only recently started staying out late on weekends.

"This is very out of character," she said. "He's been changing over the past few months, but he's a good kid and has kept up with his school work.

"I have no idea why my brother was hanging out with those guys."

After the accident, the group drove to the McDonald's restaurant at 156th Street and Fraser Highway in Fleetwood, according to Randeep, who spoke to the teens.

They told her about the street racing and said Gaganpreet left at about 1:30 a.m. At 2:15 a.m. he called a friend on his cellphone and said: "I'm home now, don't worry about me," Randeep said.

He wasn't home in the morning.

"Even if he was going to be home from school five minutes late, he would call," said Randeep, who reported her brother missing at 4 p.m. Sunday.

She couldn't report it earlier because police said not enough time had elapsed.

Surrey RCMP Cpl. Roger Morrow said police are "working very diligently" to find Gaganpreet.

Family members have flown in from Indiana and Toronto to offer help and support to the Sandhars.

Randeep was at her brother's school yesterday, putting up posters and urging his classmates to come forward with any information.

"There's been no tips, no clues, no leads, absolutely nothing," Randeep said.

"We're totally freaked out."

Gaganpreet's graduation ceremony was last Thursday; his provincial exams are next week.

Gaganpreet is six feet one inch tall, 215 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing blue jeans and a black summer jacket.