4 killed in crash that left BMW wrapped around pole on 710 Freeway
- Share via
Four men were killed in a high-speed crash on the 710 Freeway that left their vehicle wrapped around a pole and forced the closure of two northbound lanes in South Gate early Wednesday.
The crash was reported about 3:15 a.m. when a speeding BMW sedan slammed into a freeway sign support pole on the right shoulder near Firestone Boulevard, said California Highway Patrol Sgt. Jason Lopez.
“We can confidently say that speed played a factor in this collision,” Lopez told reporters at the scene.
The four men, who have not been identified, died at the scene, according to a Los Angeles County Fire Department representative. Video from the scene shows at least six firefighters working in the dark to extract people from the mangled vehicle.
One lane remained closed as of midday.
Lopez said officials received reports the vehicle may have been racing but have not found evidence to support that theory. However, the length of skid marks left on the roadway indicate the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed, he said.
“We have a lot of leads to go off of to see if there was indeed some racing prior to the collision, but right now, that’s all speculative,” he said.
Twitter: @Hannahnfry
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
