A 19-year-old man was fatally injured Friday when his car slammed into a light pole while he allegedly was racing another driver near downtown Riverside.
The deadly crash happened about 11 a.m. on Olivewood Avenue, just south of Cridge Street, directly across from the Riverside City College campus, Riverside police Sgt. Ben Shafer said.
He said that the victim, identified only as a Mentone resident, was speeding northbound on Olivewood in a 1998 Acura Integra, weaving in and out of traffic, when he lost control and crashed into the pole.
The driver of a dark-colored Honda coupe was just ahead of the Acura, going about the same speed, at the time of the crash and immediately slowed, making a u-turn to check the wreckage, then fleeing south on Olivewood, according to Shafer.
Paramedics pronounced the victim dead at the scene.
Police cordoned off a section of Olivewood to conduct an investigation and the street remained partially shut down as of 1 p.m.
