3 Ejected, Fatally Injured in Castaic Fiery Crash; Teen Female Driver Arrested for DUI

CASTAIC, Calif., July 3 (KNN) — A 19-year-old female driver was arrested for DUI after three male passengers were ejected and fatally injured when her vehicle slammed into a tree and erupted into flames.

The single-vehicle crash occurred shortly before 12:30 a.m. Wednesday on The Old Road, south of Parker Road in the city of Castaic, according to the CHP.

Firefighters from Los Angeles County Fire Department Station 149 arrived at the scene and found at least one severely damaged vehicle, fully engulfed in flames and barely recognizable.

Three people were killed in the wreck, according to a CHP investigator at the scene. A female driver was transported to the hospital as a result of the crash, according to Supervising Fire Dispatcher Pittman of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The vehicle – a silver 2010 Toyota Camry – was traveling at a high rate of speed when it approached a curve in the roadway. The driver was unable to negotiate the curve causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and crash into a tree along the east side of the roadway, according to the CHP news release of the fatal incident. The Camry was split in half and all three passengers were ejected from the vehicle.

CHP has also revealed in the news release that the driver – the sole survivor of the crash – exhibited signs and symptoms of alcohol intoxication.

A DUI investigation was conducted and the driver was determined to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, which resulted in the fatal injuries of her three ejected passengers. She was able to self-extricate from the burning vehicle.

The driver is currently undergoing medical treatment at a local hospital for major injuries, stated the news release.

CHP reported that the 19-year-old driver is a resident of Redlands, and one of the deceased males was a 22-year-old Castaic resident. There was no information immediately released regarding the other two male victims.

Any witnesses to the crash are urged to contact the Newhall office at (661) 600-1600.

Austin Dave, Video Journalist / KNN