Speed Blamed For Fiery Friday Night Crash In Benedict Canyon
BEVERLY GLEN (CBSLA.com) — Friday night's fiery crash of a Mercedes Benz in Benedict Canyon has residents speaking out about the need for more enforcement of the speed limit in the area.
The car carrying three 17-year-old boys was heading north on Benedict Canyon Drive at a high rate of speed when the driver lost control of the vehicle, police told KCAL9's Joy Benedict. The car hit a curb, flipped up and took out a tree and a sign before going across into the oncoming traffic lane and landing in the driveway of a home, where a Toyota Prius suffered damage from the fire's heat.
All three boys got out of the car safely, with two being taken to a hospital with minor injuries, authorities said.
Neighbors told Benedict there was another car involved, and the two vehicles may have been racing before the crash, although police have been unable to confirm that. Police did cite speed as a factor in the crash.
"We need to enforce the law," said neighbor Michael Chasteen. "We have a speed limit here of 35 miles an hour. In some places 30. They need to write some tickets. Right now, the word is out in Benedict Canyon to these exotic car owners, 'You can drive as fast as you want, you can however you want, without regard to anybody's safety in Benedict Canyon.' And they do it. They do it with impunity. They are on Twitter talking about it. There's no enforcement."
Police said the investigation of Friday night's crash is continuing, but nobody has been cited or arrested.