CHP: 2 Men Killed In Whittier Crash May Have Been Racing
WHITTIER (CBSLA) — Two men were killed in a three-car, hit-and-run crash that left one truck on its roof and another askew across the sidewalk and in bushes, on Slauson Avenue in Whittier.
The crash was reported just after 4:30 a.m. in the area of Slauson and Boer avenues. The men, both from Whittier, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the California Highway Patrol, which is leading the crash investigation.
At least two trucks were involved in the crash, leaving one on its roof with major front-end damage, and another across the sidewalk with its hood in the bushes. Debris from the impact was scattered across three lanes.
The men, ages 28 and 30, were in a 2014 Ford Fusion that the younger man was driving. According to the CHP, the Fusion was going east on Slauson when it crossed into opposing lanes of traffic and crashed head-on with two pickup trucks that were going west on Slauson.
The drivers of the 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche and 2015 Chevrolet Silverado suffered minor injuries.
"According to witnesses, the driver of the Ford Fusion may have been engaged in a speed contest with another vehicle prior to this collision, and the Ford was going in excess of the posted speed limit of 40 mph before the driver lost control," according to a CHP statement. "The other vehicle possibly involved in the speed contest was described as a mid-1990s to early 2000s BMW 3-series sedan, gray in color."
The driver of the BMW was described as a white man in his 20s. Witnesses told the CHP that he stopped briefly at the scene and got out of his car, but drove away before paramedics arrived.
Slauson between Norwalk and Boer was closed for several hours for the crash investigation and clean-up.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)