Local News in Brief : Driver, 18, Dies When Car Plunges 1,500 Feet

One teen-ager was killed and another was seriously injured Tuesday when the car in which they were riding plunged 1,500 feet down a steep embankment after going out of control on a curve in the Angeles National Forest, the California Highway Patrol said.

The survivor of the 12:30 a.m. crash, Patrick Zaccardo, 17, of Saugus, had a head injury but was able to crawl back up the embankment off Sand Canyon Road and flag down a passing motorist six hours after the accident, officials said.

Officer Ralph Elvira said Zaccardo was a passenger in the car. It was traveling north toward Canyon Country at 50 to 60 m.p.h. when it went out of control on the curve near Bear Divide, Zaccardo said. He said the car overturned several times as it went down the embankment.

The driver of the car, David Harris, 18, of Canyon Country, died at the scene, authorities said.

After Zaccardo crawled back to the road, he flagged down a motorist who went for help, authorities said. Zaccardo was airlifted to Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, where he was listed in serious condition, officials said.

Elvira said the accident is under investigation.