Media outlets in California have reported that three people were killed and two were critically injured after a high-speed crash in the City of Commerce that has been blamed on illegal street racing. The three deceased individuals are believed to be related. The accident occurred close to the intersection of South Malt Avenue and Telegraph Road at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Nov. 14, according to a report from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Local residents and those who are familiar with the main industrial area point out that street racing is endemic in the neighborhood, and the people killed and injured are believed to have been spectators watching a race meeting unfold when the fatal car accident occurred. Calls have been made for traffic lights or speed bumps to be installed to slow down traffic in the area, but law enforcement officers believe that such steps would not solve the problem. They say that the racers would simply gather elsewhere, which could endanger even more lives.
Police did not reveal descriptions of the vehicle involved or the individual behind the wheel, and the nature of the injuries suffered by the two spectators in critical condition was not disclosed. Paramedics pronounced a 27-year-old man, a 29-year-old man, and a 15-year-old boy died at the scene. The three deceased individuals were all Los Angeles area, residents.
While the victims of hit-and-run drivers may not be able to pursue litigation against the individuals responsible for causing the injury, loss or damage if the drivers cannot be located, compensation may still be available to them. Legal counsel can in some cases help them file a claim under the California Victim Compensation Program.