LA County Sheriff's Employee Killed, Woman Hurt After Vintage Sports Car Careens Into Pole In Temple City
TEMPLE CITY (CBSLA) – A man employed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department was killed, and a woman was injured, when a vintage muscle car slammed into a light pole in Temple City early Thursday morning.
The crash involving a Shelby Cobra 427 Roadster replica car occurred at 2:10 a.m. at the intersection of Santa Anita Avenue and Freer Street.
According to California Highway Patrol, the car carrying two people was speeding north on Santa Anita when the LASD employee lost control taking a curve. The car slammed into a median and then struck a street sign and light pole.
The male driver was ejected from the car, which does not have a roof, and died at the scene, CHP said. The 28-year-old female passenger was taken to a hospital with unknown injuries. No names were released.
The deceased driver is an LASD employee, CBSLA learned.
"We heard the impact, actually we heard acceleration, then the impact...His girlfriend, I'm assuming, loved one, was hysterical," witness Ervin Seniours said. "We didn't know if he was a deputy, or his uncle was a deputy, she just kept repeating that. She was trying to resuscitate him, or at least trying to help him, assist him. And we were trying to get her to calm down. And I called 911."
The victim's body was escorted by 14 LASD patrol vehicles to the L.A. County coroner's office, as is customary following the death of a department colleague.
The exact cause of the crash is under investigation. It's unclear if the two were wearing seatbelts, or if alcohol or drugs were involved.
The Cobra 427 replica car sells for between $50,000 and $100,000.