EAST LOS ANGELES – Coroner’s officials Saturday released the names of the three people who were killed when a car traveling at high speed crashed into a tree in East Los Angeles and caught fire.
The crash was reported at about 12:30 a.m. Friday on Olympic Boulevard near Herbert Avenue, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The three people were pronounced dead at the scene.
They were identified as Julian Menedes-Guia, 21; Abigail Flores, 19 and Jahmai Flores, 18, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office website. All were residents of East Los Angeles.
According to the CHP preliminary report, the victims were in a 1997 Volkswagen Jetta going eastbound on Olympic Boulevard, approaching the intersection of Herbert Avenue “at a high rate of speed.”
“After passing through the intersection, for unknown reasons the Volkswagen veered to the right and crashed into the south curb and a tree before catching fire,” a CHP statement said.
“All three occupants inside the Volkswagen sustained fatal injuries resulting from the crash and were pronounced deceased on scene by Los Angeles County Fire personnel,” the statement said.
The driver of a big rig stopped to try to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher, authorities said.
The circumstances of the crash remained under investigation, and anyone with information was urged to call the CHP at 323-980-4600.
