On Monday morning, a Tesla X drove off the road and caught fire, killing one person and sending two others to the hospital. The incident took place near the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Roxbury Road between Hollywood and West Hollywood at about 2:30 a.m.
The LAPD reports that there were four occupants in the automobile when it went off the road and crashed into a light post, a tree, and a restaurant patio before bursting into flames. The LAPD claims the driver got out of the burning vehicle and ran away.
A car that had apparently been following the driver picked him up. The driver has been found and is in critical condition at a nearby hospital. The driver is currently unavailable for an interview. Two female patients were seated in the trunk of the Tesla before being taken to the hospital.
The status of one is critical while the other is stable. Another female victim was found at the location and later died. Sgt. Bruce Borihanh, an LAPD public information officer, stated,
“From what we see behind us someone died inside of a burning car – and the driver was picked up by people following him.”
Please feel free to peruse the following collection of links to other news outlets concerning California:
- 18-year-old Finds Dead in Creek Five Days After High-speed Crash
- Police Report That 2 Louisiana Officers Perished in a Helicopter Crash
- Suspect Arrested in Deadly Dayton Hit-and-run Crash
A witness told Eyewitness News that they saw pieces of the car fly through the air and land on the restaurant’s patio after catching fire. Pink Taco is the ruined eatery. According to the eyewitness, at least five people observed others stuck inside the car and hurried to assist them. But at that point, the automobile caught fire.
“I started hearing pops and sparks fly out of the vehicle,” said John Haro, a witness. “The flames just got bigger and bigger and engulfed the whole vehicle.”
After being restricted all morning, the area near the crossroads of Sunset Boulevard and Roxbury Road is now accessible. The cause of the incident is yet unknown, but locals say they are used to seeing motorists race past the area.
UPDATE: The driver who fled the scene after crashing a Tesla X off road, causing it to burst into flames and kill one passenger, has been found in critical condition at a hospital. https://t.co/8cUgTVN0ap
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) April 3, 2023
“You hear the roaring of the engine going by superfast, supercars, they sound like jet engines,” said Jimmy Wood, who lives in the area. “It’s pretty consistent.” But the scene is disturbing to him as well.
“The person ran leaving someone behind – shocking. I think that’s a terrible terrible thing,” said Wood.
Follow our Facebook page to stay abreast of the latest developments and read more current stories.