1 Killed In ATV Crash At Llano Off-Roading Event Attended By As Many As 1,000 People
LLANO (CBSLA) — A 19-year-old man was killed and another hurt in an ATV crash at an apparent off-roading event that brought as many as a thousand people together in the high desert community of Llano.
The fatal crash happened at about 3:30 a.m. Sunday during the event at 223rd Street East and Transmission Line Road in Llano. Investigators say the driver of a 2016 Polaris Razor XP900 was killed when it flipped over after making a sharp left.
The driver, identified by the California Highway Patrol as Cristian Lopez of La Quinta, was declared dead at the scene. The ATV's passenger, 35-year-old Aaron Iribe of Oakland, suffered major injuries and was taken to Antelope Valley Hospital.
Detectives suspect alcohol and drugs may be a factor in the crash.
According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, at least a thousand people were at the event, despite county orders banning large gatherings. Authorities arrived to find a sound stage for live bands, and many of the people who were at the event fled the area as police arrived, leaving their ATVs and vehicles behind.
Most large entertainment events and venues have been shut down since March because of the coronavirus pandemic, and most of California is under a stay-at-home order banning large gatherings.
