Man Killed, Woman Injured After High-Speed Chase, Horrific Crash In Newport Beach
NEWPORT BEACH (CBSLA) — A man was killed in a fiery, high-speed crash into a pole in Newport Beach early Tuesday.
The crash happened near 23rd Street and Balboa Boulevard at about 1:15 a.m. California Highway Patrol officers at the scene say it's a miracle anyone survived the crash that left the Mercedes AMG mangled and unrecognizable.
Police say two people were inside the car at the time of the crash. The driver was declared dead at the scene, while a woman was pulled out by a Newport Beach police officer before it caught fire. She was taken to Orange County Global Medical Center with a broken ankle.
Before the crash, police say the driver had been at a nearby bar, where he got into an argument with security. He got into a car with a woman and became involved in a short police pursuit, but police officials say they backed off because it was going close to 100 mph. Police say the driver went all the way down the peninsula on Balboa and came back before crashing into the pole on 24th Street.
The car ended up with its wheels up on the sidewalk, and debris scattered all over the road. The engine landed about 100 feet from the body of the car, while a tire was found about 300 feet away.
The 29-year-old driver from Los Angeles County has been identified, but his name has been withheld pending notification of his family.
Police are looking into speed and alcohol as a factor in the crash.