Woman, 25, Killed While Drag-Racing
A 25-year-old woman drag-racing with two other motorists died after her car spun out of control and slammed into a cement light pole, police said Thursday.
Christine Eastham of San Clemente was driving up to 100 mph Wednesday night along West Coast Highway to outrun two friends when she lost control at a curve near Prospect Street, Newport Beach Police Lt. John Desmond said.
Eastham was taken to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian where she died. The other two motorists, David Kroeger, 24, of San Clemente and James Blank, 25, of Whittier were arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, Desmond said.
The trio had left a local brewery minutes before the crash occurred at 10:10 p.m., Desmond said.
“The light pole went through the driver’s car door to the passenger’s seat,” he said. “The car was totaled.”
Kroeger and Blank were booked at the city jail on $10,000 bail each, police said.
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