LAPD release video of the death of a teenager after the driver crashed a stolen vehicle into a pole
By: Intense and heartbreaking moments unfolded during a fiery crash in the San Fernando Valley overnight, leaving one dead and two others injured. Investigators said the three people involved in the crash were teenagers, and the driver behind the wheel in the deadly crash was only 14 years old.
Video from the scene shows the fiery inferno at the intersection of Ventura and Balboa boulevards in Encino around 12:15 a.m. Tuesday.
Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department said they spotted the vehicle driving along Ventura Boulevard with no headlights on and, using the patrol vehicle's loudspeakers, they told the driver to turn their lights on. Instead of complying, the driver sped off. At that point, officers opted not to pursue the vehicle.
Moments later, officials said the driver lost control and slammed into a pole. The vehicle erupted into flames and officers managed to pull two people from the car – the 14-year-old driver and the passenger who had just turned 18. However, officers were unable to get to the person inside the backseat, and that passenger died at the scene. Officials confirmed she was 16 years old.
"The young kids do unwise things. We all know that. It is absolutely not worth playing with your life with that. This is an absolute tragedy. There are some families that will suffer as a result of this," LAPD Capt. Jeff Hollis said.
Investigators said the person who reported their vehicle stolen was related to one of the teens in the crash. The vehicle's owner said the teens took their vehicle without their permission. The overnight joyride also occurred on slick roadways as the Los Angeles area was drenched as the result of a powerful atmospheric river.
The 14-year-old driver and the 18-year-old passenger received medical treatment and were expected to survive. It remains uncertain whether the teenage driver will face legal consequences for her role in the incident.