Two people in a Toyota who were killed in Sun Valley might have been innocent victims caught in a race between two speeding Dodge Chargers, as police seek the public's help in identifying and locating one of the motorists, authorities said Saturday.
A white 2015 Dodge Charger was speeding eastbound on San Fernando Road about 7:10 p.m. Friday along with a dark-colored Dodge Charger when the white car struck a blue 1998 Toyota Corolla that was making a left turn onto Lankershim Boulevard from westbound San Fernando Road, the Los Angeles Police Department reported.
The driver in the dark-colored Dodge continued eastbound on San Fernando Road without stopping, police said.
The two people inside the Toyota, a woman in her 50s and her passenger, a man in his 50s, were pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver in the white Dodge Charger, a 25-year-old woman from Pacoima, and her two passengers were taken to an area hospital, where she and a female passenger suffered severe injuries. The male passenger suffered minor injuries and was later released from the hospital.
"The driver of the white Dodge displayed a willful disregard for human life,'' police said in a statement. "She remains at a local hospital due to the extent of her injuries, and will subsequently be arrested and booked for murder.''
"They (investigators) are not exactly sure what the cause of the collision is,'' added Detective Meghan Aguilar of the Los Angeles Police Department "But from talking with witnesses, speed will have played a factor in this and it possibly involves street racing between that white Dodge Charger and another dark sedan, which is not here at scene.''
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Witnesses also told police they saw a man running from the crash toward some nearby railroad tracks.
"Investigators are really hopeful with the witnesses they have that were out here and what they're hoping to find on potential surveillance footage that they'll be able to identify whether that individual was the driver or is not the driver,'' Aguilar said.
The suspect was described as a male driving a dark-colored Dodge Charger.
Rescuers used power tools to free the victims, according to KCAL9.
LAPD Valley Traffic detectives asked anyone with information regarding the crash to call them at (818) 644-8115.
