A late-night street race near Long Beach Airport ended with a teenager flipping a car and landing in the hospital, while the other driver sped off into the dark. The crash briefly knocked out traffic lights at a busy intersection as crews rushed in to clean up the mess.
In a news release, the Long Beach Police Department said the wreck happened around 11:50 p.m. Friday near Spring Street and Kilroy Airport Way. Investigators say the overturned car was heading east on Spring Street, racing a second vehicle, when the teen behind the wheel lost control. The car then slammed into a traffic control box and a wall, which shut down all the signals at the intersection, according to CBS Los Angeles. The teen driver’s injuries were described as non-life-threatening.
Police said the second driver fled before officers arrived, and no arrests had been reported.
City Enforcement Targets Street Racing
The crash comes as Long Beach officials try to clamp down on illegal street racing and sideshows. The Long Beach Police Department has been using an Office of Traffic Safety grant to fund a broader traffic enforcement push, including specialized patrols, public education campaigns and coordinated operations with neighboring agencies, according to a press release from the Long Beach Police Department.
Investigation Underway
Collision investigators are still piecing together what happened, and police say the details released so far are preliminary as detectives continue their work. Anyone who saw the crash or has video of the incident is asked to contact the Long Beach Police Department’s Collision Investigation Detail, the department said in its news release, per the Long Beach Police Department.
