The crash happened on the 7500 block of North Glenoaks Avenue. Police say a Honda Element jumped the curb, slammed into a tree and burst into flames, killing the driver and passenger. The vehicle was on fire by the time emergency crews arrived at the scene.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Investigators said there are yaw marks on the street, which are caused by drifting.
"There's pre-impact tire marks that are left on the roadway, which really assist investigators in determining if there was speed involved, how much braking was involved," said Sgt. Randy Modrell with the Los Angeles Police Department. "In this particular case, there's quite a bit of evidence on the roadway that determines that there was probably speed associated with this collision."
Authorities said they will be investigating whether or not the driver of the SUV was drag racing. They will be checking for surveillance video in the area. It is unknown if drugs and alcohol were factors in the crash.
