3 people dead after pursuit crash in Los Angeles County

Three people died in a pursuit crash on the 10 Freeway in Los Angeles County overnight, according to authorities.

The California Highway Patrol told KTLA that the chase began around 4:10 a.m. Saturday on the westbound span of the 10 near Azusa Avenue in Baldwin Park.

According to CHP, the car being pursued attempted to exit the freeway at Francisquito Avenue, just four exits from where the pursuit began.

However, as the car was about to exit, it struck with a separating barrier. KTLA received video from the incident, which shows a highly damaged red SUV and persons being transported into ambulances.

According to officials, one of the passengers inside the automobile was pronounced deceased at the spot. A CHP spokeswoman told KTLA that three other people were taken to the hospital, two of whom died.

The spokesperson added that a fourth person is still alive but in unclear condition.

In a news release issued about 1 p.m. Saturday, the Highway Patrol offered more information about the pursuit, noting that it began because the vehicle, a Toyota Corolla, was driving dangerously on the interstate.

After failing to yield, the driver fled at high speeds and exited the 10 at Francisquito, where he “failed to safely negotiate a curve on the off-ramp,” causing the vehicle to hit a concrete wall.

CHP officers treated the four occupants of the Corolla, all of whom were unconscious; nevertheless, the driver was pronounced deceased at the spot. His age wasn’t immediately revealed.

The two people who died in the hospital were identified as a 20-year-old man and a female of unknown age. The fourth person in the automobile, who suffered serious injuries but was still alive as of Saturday afternoon, was identified by CHP as a 20-year-old man.

The names of the deceased are being withheld by authorities until their next of kin are notified.

The CHP Southern Division Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) and Critical Incident Investigation Team (CIIT) are in charge of the ongoing criminal investigation and traffic crash probe.