Deadly 2 A.M. Crash Slams Car Into Winnetka Pole, Shuts Down Parthenia

A quiet stretch of West Parthenia Street turned deadly before dawn Tuesday when a car slammed into a pole in Winnetka, killing one person and sending another to the hospital. The single-vehicle crash happened shortly after 2 a.m., and firefighters had to cut one occupant out of the wreckage as neighbors watched a heavy emergency response unfold.

Crews kept the immediate area blocked off for hours while investigators documented the scene and utility teams were called in to check for damage.

The Los Angeles Fire Department listed the incident as "PHYSICAL RESCUE [FATALITY]" and reported the crash at 20527 W Parthenia St at about 2:02 a.m. According to the department, one person was extricated and transported to a local hospital, while another was pronounced dead at the scene. The alert notes that the incident occurred in the Valley Bureau and Council District 3, and that DWP and DOT were notified as crews worked the scene. LAPD was credited with taking over the investigation under incident number 0366.

What crews found

"Firefighters responded to a reported one-vehicle accident and found one vehicle into a pole," LAFD explained in its alert on X, which also lists the engines, trucks and rescue ambulances that rolled out. Crews pulled one occupant from the car and got that person to a nearby hospital, while another person was determined to be deceased at the scene. The department assigned the call incident number INC#0122 as units worked to secure and clear the area.

Investigation and response

The Los Angeles Police Department is now handling the collision investigation. The LAFD alert lists LAPD incident #0366 but does not include any names or an indication of what might have caused the crash. City utility and transportation crews were notified, and LAFD reported that its units were in the process of clearing the scene once their work wrapped up.

Officials have not publicly shared any additional details about how the car ended up into the pole early Tuesday.

What we know now

At this hour, the identities of those involved and the cause of the crash remain unknown. This story will be updated if LAPD releases more information or when hospitals confirm the condition of the person who was transported. For now, investigators remain on scene, and drivers in the Winnetka area should expect possible delays around West Parthenia Street during the morning commute.