4 Teens Hurt When Car Veers Onto Shoulder

An 18-year-old driver preoccupied by a text message on his cell phone veered off the road and struck four teenagers who were standing near their car early Sunday, police said.

The teenagers’ car had run out of gas just before the 1:45 a.m. collision, said Sgt. Paul LeBaron of the Long Beach Police Department. They had parked the car on Bellflower Boulevard south of Conant Street and were pouring gasoline into the tank when Philip Parker of Lakewood swerved onto the shoulder.

All four victims were hospitalized, two with life-threatening head trauma, police said. Parker was not arrested, but LeBaron said charges could be filed later.