Siblings among 3 killed after car careens into tree in East LA, catches fire
Three young people, including two siblings, were killed when a car slammed into a tree in East Los Angeles early Friday morning.
The crash occurred at around 12:30 a.m. on Olympic Boulevard, near Herbert Avenue.
According to California Highway Patrol, a Volkswagen Jetta was speeding east on Olympic Boulevard when the driver lost control and slammed into a tree. The Jetta then caught fire.
A big-rig driver who was passing by rushed over and used his fire extinguisher to extinguish the flames, a CHP officer at the scene told CBSLA.
Its three occupants, two men and a woman, died at the scene. They were identified as 21-year-old Julian Mendesguia,
19-year-old Abigail Chantal Flores and 18-year-old Jahmai Jibsam Flores. Abigail and Jahmai are siblings, their family confirmed to CBSLA.
It's unclear if drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.