1 person dead, 2 injured after fiery hit-and-run into restaurant patio, driver found at hospital
The car that crashed was a Tesla.
HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- One person is dead and two passengers hospitalized after a Tesla X went off road and burst into flames Monday morning.
The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Roxbury Road on the border of Hollywood and West Hollywood.
The LAPD says there were four people in the vehicle, and the car burst into flames after going off road while traveling westbound on Sunset Boulevard, crashing into a lamp post and a tree before hitting a restaurant patio.
The driver, the LAPD says, exited the car and fled the scene before it caught fire. The driver was picked up by a vehicle that is believed to have been following the driver. The driver has been located at a hospital and is currently in critical condition.
The driver is unable to be interviewed at the moment.
The two patients transported to the hospital are females who were sitting in the back of the Tesla. One is in critical condition and the other stable.
The person who died at the scene was female as well.
"From what we see behind us someone died inside of a burning car - and the driver was picked up by people following him," said Sgt. Bruce Borihanh, an LAPD public information officer.
A witness told Eyewitness News they saw debris go into the air and the car catch fire before landing on the patio of a restaurant.
The damaged restaurant is Pink Taco.
The witness said people saw other people trapped inside the vehicle and at least five people ran to try to help them. But that was when the car burst into flames.
"I started hearing pops and sparks fly out of the vehicle," said John Haro, a witness. "The flames just got bigger and bigger and engulfed the whole vehicle."
The area around the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Roxbury Road had been closed all morning, but has since reopened.
Although speed has not been determined to be a factor of the crash, residents of the area say it is common for cars to zoom through the area.
"You hear the roaring of the engine going by superfast, super cars, they sound like jet engines," said Jimmy Wood, who lives in the area. "It's pretty consistent."
But even for him, the scene is shocking.
"The person ran leaving someone behind - shocking. I think that's a terrible terrible thing," said Wood.
