Crash Critically Injures 5 Youths

Four of five young people packed in a speeding subcompact were critically injured Wednesday when the vehicle veered into oncoming traffic and crashed head-on into a car on Angeles Crest Highway, authorities said.

The collision occurred around 10 a.m. about six miles north of La Canada Flintridge, said Mark Whaling, a Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman. The driver of the other car also was critically injured.

At least some of the victims in the Ford Escort were from Verdugo Hills High School in Tujunga, authorities said. The critically injured were airlifted to Pasadena’s Huntington Memorial Hospital and Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center.

“The students’ car was coming down the hill,” Whaling said. “It skidded, crossed the double yellow line and crashed into the other car.”

Investigators measured about 160 feet of skid marks from the car, indicating the driver was trying desperately to stop.

Mark Tolbert, a Fire Department spokesman, said firefighters had to cut away the smashed metal of the vehicle to free two victims.

The CHP identified four of the victims in the subcompact as: Steven Paul, 18, of South Gate; Amato Ramos, 21, of Norwalk; Noel Carrara, 17, of Tujunga; and Ismael Esparza, 18, of Inglewood.

The identity of the driver of the second vehicle was not released.

Traffic was disrupted more than two hours as firefighters and paramedics evacuated the injured.