Street Race May be to Blame for Fatal Crash Februrary 27 2016
A fiery freeway crash has left three people dead and more injured. The California Highway Patrol states that the accident was reported around midnight on Saturday, Februrary 27th. Authorities believe that street racing is to blame for the accident. Officials from the California Highway Patrol said a Dodge Challenger and a Dodge Charger were racing on the freeway. They reportedly reached speeds upwards of 90 miles per hour, and were responsible for the deadly chain of events that took the lives of three other motorists.
The incident began when the driver of the Challenger tried to pass another vehicle. While attempting to go around the slower car, the driver lost control and crashed into a UPS truck. The collision caused the semi to veer into the center median. Upon impact, the semi-truck flew into the air and struck a northbound Nissan before finally landing on a Ford Explorer. After landing on the SUV, the truck burst into flames. At least two other vehicles report having been hit by debris from the crash.
When the semi-truck collided with the Nissan, the sedan’s roof was peeled back. Both passengers were pronounced dead at the scene, as was the driver of the UPS truck. Officials stated that the occupants of the Nissan were a man and a woman, both in their twenties. Four people were critically injured in the crash, while two others sustained minor injuries. All lanes between Washington Boulevard and the 710 Freeway were shut down. Southbound lanes were reopened shortly before 11pm, while northbound lanes remained shut down until almost midnight.
One of the alleged racers has been identified as Dealio Lockhart. The 35 year old Whittier resident was taken into custody and may face charges for vehicular manslaughter. The second driver reportedly fled the scene. A spokesperson for the UPS released a statement, saying “our thoughts are with the victims and the families at this time. UPS is working with law enforcement as they investigate and we will conduct our investigations as well.” The crash remains an open investigation.
