A single vehicle car accident in Paramount today left three people dead, including the driver. Three others suffered serious injuries.
According to Sergeant Steven Paul of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Lakewood Station, the accident happened at about 1:02 a.m. The driver of a Chevrolet Tahoe was driving at excessive speeds, as fast as 90 mph, southbound on Downey Ave. The driver attempted to turn westbound onto Somerset Ranch Rd. when he lost control of his vehicle, striking a curb, light pole, wall and fire hydrant. The vehicle then rolled over and burst into flames. It left about 100 feet of skid marks.
Six people were in the vehicle: four males and two females, all in their 20's and 30's. Five of the six were ejected from the vehicle. According to Los Angeles County fire Dispatch Supervisor Rey Dong, two males and a female were pronounced dead at the scene. The other three were transported to a local hospital with serious injuries.
The three killed in the accident were Saul Hurtado Mercado, 26, Angel Andres Gonzalez, 24, of Helendale, and Diana Evelyn Ortiz-Soltero, 23, of Lynwood.
According to police, speeding was certainly a factor in the crash. It is not yet known if the driver was driving under the influence. It is also unknown at this time if the vehicle's occupants were wearing seat belts. The seatbelts were burned in the fire.
Authorities also say it is difficult to tell if the driver and passengers were wearing seat belts because the seat belts were burned in the fire.
If you or someone you care about has been injured in a car accident, personal injury attorneys Daniel McGee and Catherine Lerer are available for a free consultation, 24/7. We have offices in Santa Monica and Long Beach. You need an aggressive advocate on your side to demand full compensation for your losses. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee unless we win.