3 killed and 3 hurt when car flies into power pole, knocking out electricity in Pasadena, California

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — A speeding car barreled through a red light, struck a curb and flew into a power pole and an unoccupied building, killing three people, seriously injuring three others and knocking out electricity to hundreds of residents in Pasadena, California, authorities said.

The violent single-vehicle crash happened around 2:30 a.m. Saturday as a Tesla sedan carrying six people was traveling at more than twice the 35 mph (56 kph) speed limit, according to the Pasadena Police Department.

Three of the passengers were ejected from the back seat, police said. The driver and two of the passengers died at the scene. Three other passengers were hospitalized in serious condition, officials said.

All six of the car’s occupants were between 17 and 22 years old, the Los Angeles Times reported. They were not immediately identified.

A preliminary investigation suggests that the driver “failed to negotiate a slight curve,” causing the car to strike the curb, police Lt. Anthony Russo said. The car flew through the air, hit the pole, and then crashed through a wall of the building, he said.

Russo said there were early indications that alcohol may have been a factor, but investigators have not confirmed if the driver was impaired.

Service was restored to more than 500 homes and businesses that lost power due to the collision, said Lisa Derderian, a spokesperson for the city of Pasadena.