Two Teens Killed in Huntington Beach Car Crash
Two teenagers were killed in a fiery car crash in Huntington Beach, reports CBS Los Angeles. The collision, which occurred at the intersection of Warner Avenue and Edwards Street, was reported to Fire Department authorities early Friday morning, around 1:45 a.m. Both teenagers were residents of Rancho Palos Verdes. The victims were later identified as 19-year-old Ali Diba Nourollahi and 18-year-old Hachim Ali Awad.
According to Huntington Beach Fire Department Chief Mike McClanahan and Orange County coroner’s officers, the teens succumbed to their injuries and died shortly after their vehicle burst into flames.
“When we arrived at the scene we found two men laying out on the street,” McClanahan told the Daily Breeze. “Their vehicle which had crashed into a building on the corner had caught fire and the fire had spread to the apartment building.”
Fiery crash kills Rancho Palos Verdes teens
Huntington Beach police officers said preliminary investigations show the boys were speeding in their car when it plowed into a nearby apartment building and then burst into flames. A few passersby who heard the high-impact crash rushed to the scene in an effort to rescue the teenagers from their burning vehicle, but they were too late.
Local police later posted on their Facebook page that the victim’s car – a late model Lexus — was sheared in half during the incident. The flames quickly spread to the apartment building, prompting fire fighters to evacuate all tenants. Two apartment units reportedly suffered extensive smoke damage, but most of the flames were controlled by firefighters, thus preventing major structural damage.
Victims were graduates of Peninsula High School
Nourollahi and Awad had recently graduated from Peninsula High School, which set up a crisis response group to help the students, staff and alumni who were devastated by the news of the teens’ untimely deaths.
With investigations still pending into the deadly vehicle accident, Huntington Beach police are asking anyone who has information about the crash to please contact authorities. At this time, police are uncertain who was behind the wheel at the time of crash. Officials believe that speed was the main factor in the collision, but are not ruling out possible impairment by drugs or alcohol.
Car accident deaths involving negligence
Though it is too early to know if negligence or alcohol impairment was a factor in this accident, a wrongful death claim through a personal injury lawyer may be brought in similar situations where a defendant’s reckless actions caused the death of another.
Monetary compensation recovered in a wrongful death lawsuit can include:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of the deceased expected earnings
- Loss of inheritance
- Loss of care, guidance and support
- Pain and suffering
Ellis Law extends their sincere condolences to the family and friends of these two young men. As veteran Los Angeles car accident lawyers, our legal team understands the immense emotional burden that such losses place on families.
If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you need an experienced personal injury attorney to ensure your rights are protected. Ellis Law attorneys offer free case reviews and will determine if you are entitled to compensation. Call toll-free at 310-641-3335.