Investigators confirmed Wednesday morning that a drive-by shooting likely led to a fiery wrong-way crash involving eight vehicles that killed at least one person and injured four Tuesday night in South LA, authorities said.
The crash happened about 7:50 p.m. at 261 West Manchester Ave. near Broadway (map), according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
“We were trying to make a left turn … All of a sudden, everybody’s hitting everybody – bam, bam, bam, bam, bam,” Dwight Thomas said. “It hit us, too. It just happened so fast.”
The driver of a black Dodge Charger was traveling southbound on Broadway in the wrong lane then ran a red light, causing a chain-reaction crash, LAPD Officer Christopher No told NBC4. At least one of those vehicles caught fire.
Police confirmed Wednesday that a gun was found in the Charger.
Two people were traveling in the Charger – one of them was taken to the hospital in critical condition, the other ran from the scene. Police are searching for the person who ran, but say they do not have a description of the person they are looking for.
Three people were transported to the hospital, one person declined treatment and another person died in the crash. The deceased victim, who was driving a Saturn, was identified Wednesday as Jose Cuevas, of Downey
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“There was a big impact, and that impact was not big enough to stop the vehicle. He must have been traveling at an incredible speed,” said Mike Nogueiras, who was traveling with Thomas and is an insurance adjuster.
