Two drivers were killed in a head-on collision and fire early Tuesday in Santa Clarita.
The crash was reported at 12:26 a.m. near the intersection of Decoro Drive and McBean Parkway, said Lt. Chuck Becerra of the Sheriff's Santa Clarita Valley Station. One of the drivers, a 34-year-old man in a BMW, was speeding and clipped a parked car, causing him to veer into oncoming traffic, Becerra said.
Investigators identified the 34-year-old as Joel Thomas Godfrey.
"My daughter woke me up last night. At first she thought is was a firework," said Arsena Ashjian, who lives near the location.
The driver of the BMW collided into a Honda driven by an 18-year-old man, identified as Collin Gore, according to investigators. The impact of the crash caused Gore to be ejected and the BMW to catch fire with the driver inside, Becerra said.
Both Gore and Godfrey died at the scene.
Gore was a recent graduate from Hart High School in Santa Clarita, where he'd been an honor student and leader of the swim team.
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"I think I'm just in a shocked state right now," said Adriana Aguirre, who said that only a day prior she was talking to Gore about "Star Wars." "It just makes it 10 times worse - I know him and I've never dealt with something like this."
"It was just kind of scary to think that it could be you in that street, right there," said witness Veronica Tayag.
