Cause of Fatal Crash Under Investigation

Road rage or racing between two vehicles may have contributed to a fatal traffic crash here Friday that claimed the lives of two young men, police said Monday.

Simi Valley police detectives say they are investigating whether Shane Connaughton, 21, and Kevin Baustert, 20, were being chased at the time their vehicle crashed about 2:30 a.m. on Los Angeles Avenue and Hubbard Street.

“We know there was a verbal confrontation before all of this occurred,” said Senior Officer Herman “Butch” Hale.

According to police, Connaughton of West Hills and Baustert of Woodland Hills were at a billiard hall on Tierra Rejada Road when they had an argument with Andy Chilcoat, 31, of Simi Valley.

Connaughton and Baustert then left the pool hall and drove to a Circle K on Los Angeles Avenue, where Chilcoat and another man, Michael McIntyre, 23, of Simi Valley, arrived moments later in separate vehicles, said Sgt. Jeff Malgren.

McIntyre had also been at the pool hall but was not directly involved in the argument, police said.

Connaughton, who was driving a 1999 Dodge pickup in which Baustert was a passenger, sped out of the parking lot and headed east on Los Angeles Avenue at about 75 mph, which is nearly twice the speed limit, authorities said.

At the time of the crash, Malgren said, it appeared Baustert and Connaughton were either being chased or taunted, possibly by McIntyre, or racing him in his 2000 Toyota Celica.

Chilcoat was trailing both vehicles in his 1985 Ford pickup and eventually turned off on a side street and left, authorities said.

During the incident, Connaughton lost control of his truck and slammed into a tree and a power pole, severing the vehicle and killing both men, authorities said.

McIntyre was arrested at the scene on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. No other charges have been filed against him, and none has been filed against Chilcoat, but the case remains under investigation.