A normally calm stretch of West 78th Street in Hyde Park turned into a chaotic crash scene Friday morning, after a multi-car collision in South Los Angeles left two people dead and several others hurt or evaluated by paramedics.
The wreck unfolded on the 3300 block of West 78th Street and involved at least three vehicles, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Two people were pronounced dead at the scene, and paramedics assessed at least four others, though officials have not released information about their conditions. Details on what triggered the crash were not immediately available, as reported by NBC Los Angeles.
Scene And Response
Residents who woke up to sirens and flashing lights watched as Los Angeles Fire Department crews and police officers flooded the block. Emergency workers remained on scene for hours, clearing debris and loading crumpled vehicles onto tow trucks.
Traffic was diverted around the area while officers documented vehicle positions and scattered wreckage in an effort to piece together how the collision unfolded. Investigators also canvassed the neighborhood for witnesses willing to describe what they saw and heard in the moments before impact.
Traffic Safety In Los Angeles
The deadly crash lands in the middle of an ongoing traffic safety crisis citywide. As LAist reported, Los Angeles recorded roughly 304 traffic deaths last year, and officials are pushing to expand automated tools such as speed cameras in an effort to rein in dangerous driving.
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation's Vision Zero program outlines an approach that leans on both engineering changes and enforcement to reduce fatalities on the city’s most hazardous streets. In its action plan, LADOT identifies high-injury corridors and details specific countermeasures meant to prevent serious crashes.
What Investigators Will Look For
Authorities have not released the names of the two people who died and have not said whether anyone was taken into custody in connection with the crash. As part of a standard investigation, traffic detectives typically study vehicle damage, skid marks, debris patterns and witness statements to determine how a collision occurred and whether any drivers may face charges.
NBC Los Angeles reported that officials had not immediately provided information on what led to the multi-vehicle collision. City police and traffic investigators are expected to release additional details as their work continues.
