This cache memorializes a high speed car crash that killed two local teenagers and severely injured two others. Drunk driving. Alcohol and gasoline are a volatile mixture.
The speeding car did not slow down as it approached the corner, went airborne for about 40 feet after hitting some juniper bushes, flipped, and wrapped its roof around a large tree at the side of the house directly to the east of the pedestrian bridge nearby. The tree was so severely damaged that it was removed after the crash.
Excerpts from news articles:
- The back-seat passengers told Lovell that he was driving too fast, but he did not slow down. They asked to be let out of the SUV, but Lovell replied, "No, we're going to have some fun."
- ... police were removing beer cans from the wreckage.
- ... the teens may have been coming from a party at a Lakewood house when the wreck happened.
- ... Lovell was driving north on Oak Street at about 2 a.m. when he failed to make a curving turn onto Twilight Drive.
- Accident investigators said there was no evidence of (the driver) trying to brake.
- It appears they saw the curb and tried to take it, hit some juniper bushes, and that’s what flipped the car. It went airborne for more than 40 feet before they hit the tree.
- The rolling vehicle's roof hit the tree, wrapping around it. The force of the impact knocked the big tree over.
- A neighbor said officers on the scene estimated the SUV was traveling as fast as 80 mph. Police have not released an official speed estimate.
- ... it took firefighters a couple hours to free the two badly injured teens from the back of the mangled SUV.
Alcohol and gasoline don't mix. Learn more about the sad incident by clicking to this article. (Or here)