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Arson Suspected In String of Vehicle, Trash Fires

Arson Suspected In String of Vehicle, Trash Fires

Source: flickr/Tex Texin via Creative Commons

The Los Angeles arson investigators are investigating a string of vehicle and trash fires over the past few week. The fires have occurred in and around the Echo Park area.

The first suspected arson fire was reported on Feb. 19. The fire started between midnight and 4 a.m. in the 1300 North Portia St. said Los Angeles Fire Department Senior Arson Investigator David Liske in an interview with CBS Los Angeles. The fire engulfed three city trashcans that also damaged a nearby car.

This was the first of four fires.

In the same morning, another trashcan was set on fire on Sunset Boulevard and McDuff Street, said Liske in an interview with CBS Los Angeles.

On Feb. 25, a vehicle fire was reported in the 1400 block of Portia Street, near Galveston Street. The fire started around 2 a.m. and is also suspected to be arson.

Another incident is suspected to be a failed arson attempt. Leaves were found on a park car at Laveta Terrace and Sunset Boulevard, said Los Angeles Fire Department Battalion Chief Steve Ruda said in an interview with CBS Los Angeles.

“Sometimes, arsonists begin small,” Ruda said in an interview with CBS Los Angeles. “Hopefully each fire doesn’t get bigger.”

The investigation is ongoing and it isn’t clear if there are any suspects currently. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Arson/Counter-Terrorism Section at (213) 893-9850.

If you need a car accident lawyer call The Accident Attorneys Group at 877-857-7720.

Source: CBS Los Angeles

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River Rescue Called Off

River Rescue Called Off

With the torrential rainfall over the last few days taking its toll on local police and fire personnel, a river rescue was called off Saturday morning after a reported car in the river turned out to only be a concrete barrier.

A jogger, running along the Los Angeles River, contacted fire officials after reportedly seeing a car in the raging river water.

Firefighters responded when they received other reports of a vehicle in the water near the 5 Freeway and Zoo Dr. in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles.

Fire officials arrived on the scene around 8 a.m. and searched the area. Aerial footage showed several Los Angeles City firefighters in the area investigating the reports.

With the wicked weather, there are things you can do to be safe on the roads. Keep your eyes scanning the road ahead, looking for any potential hazards. Slow down, this will help compensate for a car’s longer stopping distance in the rain.

If a car begins to slip and lose traction, don’t slam on the brakes. In the rain, the limited traction will cause brakes to lock up and lengthen a car’s stopping distance.

If you need a car accident lawyer call The Accident Attorneys Group at 877-857-7720.

Source: NBC Southern California

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Salma Hayek’s Brother Involved in Crash, One Killed

Salma Hayek's Brother involved in crash, one killed

One person was killed Sunday after a sports car driven by Salma Hayek’s brother, Sami Hayek, crashed into a truck in the Bel-Air area of Los Angeles.

The accident occurred on Sunset Blvd. near Mapleton Dr. around 4:50 p.m.

The sports car, a 2006 Ford GT, was heading eastbound on Sunset Blvd. when Sami Hayek lost control, crossing into the westbound lanes and colliding with a 2011 Toyota Tacoma pickup, according to the Los Angeles Police Department in an interview with ABC 7 Los Angeles.

Hayek’s passenger, 43-year-old Cuttler Sala of New York, died at the scene. Cuttler is famous for his photography. He won a Grammy Award for best art direction for “Johnny Cash: The Legend” box set music package.

The driver of the Toyota Tacoma, 20-year-old Alvin Gomez of Los Angeles, allegedly suffered a broken foot. Hayek suffered several broken ribs. Both were transported to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood. An update to their condition is unknown.

Anyone with information about the accident is urged to contact West Traffic Division Detectives, Officer Tirella or Officer Hutchings at (213) 473-0234. The accident is still under investigation.

If you need a car accident lawyer call The Accident Attorneys Group at 877-857-7720.

Source: ABC Los Angeles

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Car Crash Leads to Gang Shooting

Woman found shot dead in downtown Los Angeles

Source: flickr/Tex Texin via Creative Commons

A suspected gang member was shot Monday after a minor car crash. Rival gang members in Los Angeles shot the victim in the thigh. Authorities say the incident may have been related to a gang shooting.

The victim, who hasn’t been identified by authorities, was involved in a minor car accident before being shot. The accident occurred at 49th St. and Vermont Ave, said Sgt. Steve Vera of LAPD’s 77th Division.

After the minor car crash, the victim got out of his car and was then posted by rival gang members. They then opened fire, Vera said.

Authorities don’t know how many shots were fired or how many gunman were involved, Vera added. There were no other victims involved in the incident.

The victim was transported to an area hospital with stable vital signs.

The car crash and gang shooting are still under investigation said officials. Authorities haven’t released a description of the victim or suspects involved in the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Los Angeles Police Department.

If you need a car accident lawyer call The Accident Attorneys Group at 877-857-7720.

Source: Los Angeles Daily News

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Wrong-Way Crash Kills Six

Wrong-Way Crash Kills Six

An early Sunday morning crash killed six people in a wrong-way, three-car pileup in Diamond Bar.

Authorities say 21-year-old Olivia Carolee Culbreath was drunk when she was driving her 2013 Chevrolet Camaro the wrong way on the westbound 60 Freeway.

She hit two other vehicles, killing two people in her car, and four people in a red Ford Explorer. The driver of the third car, Joel Cortez, 57, of Ontario, suffered only minor injuries. He is home recovering.

The Camaro driver, Culbreath, is listed in stable condition and will be arrested on suspicion of DUI causing great bodily injury and manslaughter when she’s released, the California Highway Patrol said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

Investigators “believe from what they found in the vehicle that alcohol was involved, said Lt. Fred Corral of the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

Witnesses say that Culbreath may have been driving in excess of 100 mph at the time of the crash. She is suspected of DUI.

DMV records show Culbreath has had her license suspended numerous times in connection with excessive blood-alcohol levels. At the time of the accident, her license was revoked. Culbreath was just 17 years old when she was convicted in juvenile court on April 13, 2010, of driving drunk, DMV officials said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

If you need a car accident lawyer call The Accident Attorneys Group at 877-857-7720.

Source: Los Angeles Times

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Man Killed In Los Angeles Hit-And-Run Crash

Man Killed In Los Angeles Hit-And-Run Crash

Jerry Arredondo Jr.

A man was killed Tuesday night after a hit-and-run crash in South Los Angeles. The accident occurred around 7:30 p.m. at Wadsworth Avenue and East 106th Street, the Los Angeles County Coroner said.

The man has been identified as 19-year-old Jerry Arredondo Jr. of Los Angeles. The vehicle that fatally struck Arredondo is described as a 2013 silver Chevrolet Camaro. It is a rental car from Hertz. Arredondo was hit as he was getting out of his car, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

“They were traveling at a high rate of speed, approximately up to maybe 100 mph on a residential street. He hit a dip at the corner of Wadsworth, lost control. The first collision was actually the victim’s car and at that point, that’s when he hit the victim, throwing the victim approximately 40 feet,” Sgt. Hendley Hawkins said in an interview with CBS Los Angeles.

The suspect has not been apprehended, allegedly fleeing the scene in a silver BMW.  The Los Angeles Police Department said Wednesday that they have contacted the driver’s uncle along with the woman who rented the Camaro. No arrests have been made at this time.

If you need a car accident lawyer call The Accident Attorneys Group at 877-857-7720.

Source: CBS Los Angeles

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Car Crashes Into Convalescent Home, 2 Injured

A car slammed into a convalescent home in Palms Sunday trapping a senior citizen who lived in the home and injuring the driver. The accident occurred on the 3500 block of Overland Ave. around 11:20 p.m.

Both the patient and the driver were transported to a local hospital with injuries. The names of the victims have not been released.

The accident occurred when the driver backed into the building. The crash knocked an elderly patient out of bed and caused part of the wall to collapse.

When rescue crews arrived, they had to cut through the debris to free the patient.

“The car was to the side of the patient, luckily, and not on top of the patient, but it did knock part of the wall into the patient and we had to cut that part of the wall out and remove that to remove the patient,” said Ryan Jones of the Los Angeles City Fire Department in an interview with the Associated Press.

No information was available on the condition of the victims. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

If you need a car accident lawyer call The Accident Attorneys Group at 877-857-7720.

Source: ABC News

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1 killed, 5 injured multi-vehicle car crash

1 Killed, 5 Injured Multi-Vehicle Car Crash

Source: KTLA

One person was killed and five others injured in a multi-vehicle car crash Sunday in Laguna Beach, authorities said.

The accident occurred on the Pacific Coast Highway at Irvine Cove Drive about 1:35 p.m. Police officers and fire personnel responded after receiving a report of a head-on collision, according to a press release issued by the Laguna Beach Police Department to KTLA.

A car, traveling on the northbound side of the highway, struck another vehicle. Police said it was initially a minor-fender-bender. The car then veered into the southbound lanes and struck two other vehicles.

One of the drivers of the four vehicles involved died. Coroner officials removed the deceased victim’s body, said the Laguna Beach Police Department in an interview with KTLA. Authorities corrected their earlier statement that said were five vehicles involved in the crash.

The victim’s body was transported to the Orange County coroner’s office for further examination, said Laguna Beach police Sgt. Eric Lee in an interview with KTLA.

The five other victims were all taken to local hospitals, Lee said in an interview with KTLA. The extent of their injuries and conditions were not immediately known.

Northbound Pacific Coast Highway was temporarily closed due to the car crash. It was reopened Sunday night. All southbound lanes remained closed for some time, but were expected to reopen by 11 p.m.

The cause of the car crash is still under investigation.

If you need a car accident lawyer call The Accident Attorneys Group at 877-857-7720.

Source: KTLA

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Five injured in crosswalk when hit by a car

Five injured in crosswalk when hit by a car

Source: KTLA

Five people were injured Friday as they walked through a crosswalk in Highland Park. The driver may have run a stop sign, witnesses told police.

The accident happened in the 900 block of North Avenue 57 at about 8:15 a.m. near Yorkdale Elementary School, according to Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Two adults and three children were injured in the incident. A 52-year-old grandmother and one of the children were transported in critical condition following the accident, Scott said in an interview with KTLA.

A 32-year-old woman and the two other children suffered only minor injuries. They were taken to local hospitals for future treatment, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in an interview with KTLA. All the victims were related to one another.

The three children were students at Yorkdale Elementary School. One boy and one girl were third graders at the school. The other child, a girl, was a fifth grader at the school, the Los Angeles School Police Chief Steven Zipperman posted on Twitter.

Witnesses said the driver, an 87-year-old man, failed to stop at a stop sign before striking the family. He was uninjured, authorities said. No charges have been filed.

The Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Traffic Division is investigating the crash.

If you need a car accident lawyer call The Accident Attorneys Group at 877-857-7720.

Source: KTLA

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L.A. Mayor’s vehicle hits woman crossing street

L.A. Mayor’s vehicle hits woman crossing street

Source: Los Angeles Times

A 60-year-old woman was hospitalized after being hit by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s vehicle Tuesday.

The black SUV, which was being driven by a LAPD police officer at the time, struck the woman at the intersection of 2nd and Spring Street while the vehicle was traveling east on 2nd towards City Hall. The authorities declined to identify the victim.

According to officials, the woman was alert and stable before she was rushed to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center for treatment.

“I’m very concerned about her and wish her a speedy recovery,” Garcetti said in a statement. “I look forward to speaking with her soon.”

According to security camera footage, two people got out of Garcetti’s vehicle to check on the pedestrian. Two minutes after the accident Garcetti’s vehicle pulled away. By this time, the LAPD driver had checked on the condition of the woman, talked to the officers on the scene about what had happened, and determined paramedics were on the way.

Garcetti was then taken to City Hall, but were available for interviews once investigators were ready, said Police Cmdr. Andrew Smith in an interview with Los Angeles Times.

After Garcetti was dropped off, the officer who was driving returned the vehicle to the scene.

“This, by all appearances, was a relatively minor collision, except that the mayor’s driver was involved,” Smith said in an interview with Los Angeles Times.

The accident is still under investigation.

If you need a car accident lawyer call The Accident Attorneys Group at 877-857-7720.

Source: Los Angeles Times