Asia Allen-Bookman, 25, and her friend were killed in the crash early Tuesday. They were reportedly street racing, but Allen-Bookman's family says they were actually being chased by her friend's former girlfriend.
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Her family says she called a friend from the car, explaining they were being chased.
"And it seemed like the phone dropped, and the friend heard boom," Allen-Bookman's sister Tiffany Acker said. "And from right then and there she knew something wasn't right, so she reached out to family.
"She made a call. My sister was scared. So for her to make that call, she knew her life was in danger."
RELATED: 2 dead after suspected street race ends with crash into fire truck in Compton area
Surveillance video shows suspected street race crash that killed 2 near Compton
The crash happened around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Avalon and Compton boulevards, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The agency said two cars were reportedly racing down Compton Boulevard when one of them, a PT Cruiser, collided into the fire truck. Allen-Bookman and the male driver died at the scene.
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Surveillance video from a local business captured the moment the crash occurred, with sparks flying across the pavement as the car slammed at high speeds into the fire truck. Four firefighters suffered minor injuries.
Allen-Bookman leaves behind a 3-year-old.
"My sister was vibrant, she was loving," Acker said.
The driver of the other car drove off and is now being looked for.
Derrick Cooper runs the L.A. City Wildcats Youth Academy and took care of Allen-Bookman's daughter in daycare. He said Allen-Bookman was an involved and dedicated mother who lived for her daughter.
"Her daughter was everything to her. I mean everything," Cooper said.
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Cooper is pleading for the other driver to surrender.
"If it was me, I couldn't sleep at night if I knew I had done this to someone's child. The baby is only 3 years old," Cooper said. "She's gonna now have to grow up without a mother. This person, you know who you are. Do the right thing, turn yourself in and let's start the process so we can start healing."
A GoFundMe page has been established to help with Allen-Bookman's funeral costs.