San Diego Teen Killed, 2 Injured In Car Crash On Way To Coachella
SAN DIEGO (CBSLA) -- A San Diego teenager on her way to Indio for the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival was killed in a car crash early Thursday morning.
California Highway Patrol says the victim was ejected from a back passenger seat of the car and died at the scene. The victim's name had not been released as of late Friday morning.
The crash happened on eastbound Interstate 10 in Banning at around 4:30 a.m.
The crash reportedly caused the BMW the victims were driving in to split in half.
CHP investigators said the sedan was traveling at a high rate of speed when it left the freeway, went down an embankment and struck two trees.
The 18-year-old victim was headed to the festival with two other friends from the San Diego area when the crash happened.
According to authorities, the front passenger, identified as 16-year-old Manuela Cerciello-Rahbari, sustained life-threatening injuries and was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs.
The driver, identified as 21-year-old Cesar Hernandez-Ozuna, was taken to a hospital with less-serious injuries.
"The BMW was loaded with food, alcohol and camping gear as all three people were on their way to the Coachella Festival at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio," but neither alcohol nor drugs were suspected of contributing to the crash, according to a CHP statement.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)ted. Wire services contributed to this report.)