The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports there are over 36,000 deaths every year in car crashes. The federal agency recommends several ways that drivers can stay safe during the holidays; two of these recommendations include always wearing a seatbelt and never driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
My News LA reports that the DUI driver of an SUV may have ignored both those recommendations and was killed after being ejected from their vehicle in Canoga Park over the weekend.
According to a statement issued by Officer Norma Eisenman with the Los Angeles Police Department, the fatal crash happened at approximately 12:20 a.m. on Saturday, December 18, 2021.
The driver of an SUV was traveling eastbound on Victory Boulevard at a high rate of speed in Canoga Park when the vehicle struck a curb near the intersection of Victory Boulevard and Owensmouth Avenue.
Eyewitnesses at the scene said that the driver, who had not been wearing a seatbelt, was ejected through the windshield of the SUV. The victim’s body came to rest in a planter near the roadway.
Los Angeles Police Officers and paramedics with the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the scene of the crash. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators have determined that while high speed did play a significant role in the fatal crash, intoxication by alcohol and/or drugs has not been ruled out.
The accident is currently under investigation.
