HIGHLAND PARK : 3 Killed as Truck Crashes Into Wall
Three Highland Park men were killed last week when their speeding truck failed to negotiate a curve on Figueroa Street at York Boulevard, hit a fire hydrant and ran into the wall of Donna’s Hamburgers, according to police.
Police Detective Richard Lopez of the Central Traffic Division said all three men were killed instantly Tuesday night: Victor Grijalva, who was the 25-year-old driver, and his passengers, Mario Gonzales, 28, and Andy Fierro, 26.
Witnesses told police that the truck clipped a car as it headed south on Figueroa shortly before midnight and appeared to be going 95 to 100 m.p.h. Police investigators estimated that the Toyota 4-Runner truck hit the wall going 85 m.p.h.
Police suspect narcotics were involved and are awaiting toxicology reports from the coroner’s office.
Lopez said it appeared that none of the men were wearing seat belts.
“It couldn’t make the curve and went straight and ran off the roadway,” Lopez said.
“We’ve had other accidents there,” he said, adding that engineers are looking into widening the curve to make it less sharp.
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