Suspect Arrested In Hit-And-Run Crash That Killed Man, Woman On 5 Freeway In Downey
DOWNEY (CBSLA) -- A deadly hit-and-run crash that killed two people was caught on dashcam video on Sunday afternoon.
It happened shortly after 2:30 p.m. at the Paramount exit on the 5 Freeway in Downey.
A white Fiat appeared to clip a red sedan and sent it spiraling off the freeway and slamming into a tree.
The man and woman who were traveling in the red vehicle were killed and the Fiat took off from the scene.
The suspect was arrested after independent news photographer Hector Gerardo witnessed the crash and followed him, while calling 911.
"The red car was just on its own driving normally and the white car was going in and out of lanes," Gerardo said. "Thirty seconds later, he starts to move over to the right and clips the red car. I yelled pretty loudly and I was like, wow I can't believe this is happening and just, I did what I had to do, either I pull over and try to help people which in my mind I knew they were beyond what I could do and so my best instinct was to go forward and follow the suspect."
Police caught up to the suspect near Florence Avenue and Studebaker Road, about three miles from the crash scene.
California Highway Patrol said the driver did not appear under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but will likely face felony hit-and-run charges.
"Unfortunately those two people who were just traveling down the freeway, their lives were taken away from them," Gerardo said.
Neither the suspect or victims' names have been released.