2 Dead In Gardena Crash After Short Pursuit
GARDENA (CBSLA.com) — An orange Scion authorities say was fleeing from CHP officers crashed into another car in Gardena overnight, killing two of the occupants inside the Scion.
Officer Figueroa with the CHP says the incident unfolded after an officer observed a large "takeover-style" gathering with approximately 80 to 100 vehicles in an intersection of Compton Boulevard and Main Street.
Figueroa said that officers observed a vehicle doing doughnuts at an intersection, prompting the CHP officer to attempt a traffic stop of the Scion they believed was part of illegal street racing.
"More drivers are taking more dangerous and almost violent activities with their cars in large group gatherings and accidents are becoming more and more common, it's very dangerous and we highly discourage it," said Sgt. Joe Dominguez of the CHP.
The CHP says the Scion instead fled and a short pursuit ensued.
Minutes later, officers say the Scion ran a red light at Broadway and Redondo Beach Boulevard and collided with a gray Chevy Suburban that was going west.
Two people in the Scion were killed, while the driver of the Suburban suffered minor injuries.
The crash happened at 2:44 a.m. Sunday.
CBS2's Adrianna Weingold reported from the scene.
She said the force of the accident was so strong that debris was sent flying through Reza Nejad's auto body shop.
"It was really hard, it was really hard for my dad that stays here and helps with the business and is a little older, it's difficult for him to see it, it's difficult for us as a family to see him like that," said Nejad.
Officers told Weingold that street racing is an increasing problem in the neighborhood and Nejad concurred.
Nejad said it was only a matter of time before an accident took someone's life.