2 dead after car flips in Baldwin Hills crash

LOS ANGELES – Two people were killed in a crash in the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw Saturday afternoon, after police said a speeding car veered into the center median,hit multiple other cars and flipped.

It happened just before 3 p.m., at the intersection of S. La Brea Avenue and Coliseum Street. According to LAPD Sgt. Clarence Perkins, a Mercedes Benz was heading north on La Brea, heading fast when it hit a car waiting in the left turn lane, flipped, and continued, hitting at least two other cars.

Several of the cars involved in the crash settled in the middle of the intersection, including the Mercedes, which was upside down. Images from SkyFOX showed parts of the Mercedes, including one of its doors, were thrown further into the intersection from the impact.

Firefighter paramedics declared both the driver and passenger in the Mercedes dead at the scene. According to Perkins, no one else involved in the crash was transported to the hospital.

Bob Hunt lives in the neighborhood. He said he went to check out the crash after he’d heard about what had happened. He said this intersection is notorious for speeding. Hunt said he was just recently discussing with his wife how dangerous this intersection is.

“I just was telling her yesterday as we turned left here from La Brea going up Coliseum how dangerous it is over here and that I’m scared to be in the turn lane here because of the opposing traffic as it comes down La Brea heading north — too fast,” Hunt said. “And I just told her yesterday somebody is going to get killed over here. Just one day, and now we see the remnants of what I was talking about. Sad.”

Hunt said he’s seen several accidents at this intersection since he’s lived in the area, including one, he said, where an LAPD vehicle was T-boned.

“They need to bring back the traffic officers over here to try to curb it, because people come down, travel down La Brea too fast. Too fast.”

Perkins said that the LAPD is aware of dangerous driving at the intersection, saying that drivers tend to go faster because of the street before the intersection goes downhill.

“We actually shoot laser up here and try to slow them down, but we were not here,” Perkins said. “This is what happens. They speed down the street.”

About the Author

Yosi Yahoudai is a founder and the managing partner of J&Y. His practice is comprised primarily of cases involving automobile and motorcycle accidents, but he also represents people in premises liability lawsuits, including suits alleging dangerous conditions of public property, third-party criminal conduct, and intentional torts. He also has expertise in cases involving product defects, dog bites, elder abuse, and sexual assault. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. If you have any questions about this article, you can contact Yosi by clicking here.