LOCAL : Santa Ana Police Identify 4 Men Killed in Crash During Drag Race

Police identified four young men today who were killed in a fiery crash when their car went out of control during a drag race.

Benito Nunez Gambino, 19, was driving the car with passengers Sergio Padilla Orejel, 24; Pedro Carasco Martinez, 23, and Antonio Pulido Arteaga, 25, according to Santa Ana police. All were residents of Santa Ana.

All died when Gambino crashed the car into a street light pole and a fire ignited the gas tank, engulfing the car in fire.

Gambino apparently lost control of the 1973 Ford Maverick during a drag race about 10:45 p.m. Sunday along Bristol Street near Santa Clara Avenue (Story, B1). The four men were trapped in the wreckage when the fire started.

The fire started in the engine and quickly engulfed the passenger compartment. The four victims were burned so badly that coroner’s officials made identifications by the victims’ jewelry, Santa Ana police spokeswoman Maureen Thomas said.

Police were searching for the driver of the other car, which was described only as a black Chevrolet Corvette. The driver paused momentarily at the crash scene, then sped off, officers said.

Relatives of the victims said that they had been playing poker and that Gambino had consumed three or four beers before deciding to drive to a nearby party.

Thomas said the drag race apparently lasted only a short distance--about a block or two.