ESCONDIDO (NEWS 8) - Investigators worked Monday to piece together the circumstances of a late-night broadside collision that killed two people and seriously injured two others at a North County street crossing.
Police believe intoxication may have been a factor in the accident, which left traffic lanes shut down for several blocks in all directions until about 7 Monday morning, according to Lt. Ed Varso.
Witnesses told investigators that the deadly crash occurred when the speeding driver of a silver Dodge Charger was driving East El Norte Parkway and North Ash Street in Escondido shortly before 11:30 p.m. Sunday.
In the intersection, the sedan crashed into a silver Ford Mustang, sending it rolling side over side into a residential front yard, where it came to rest on its roof. The driver of the Mustang and a woman riding in his car died at the scene of the wreck, Varso said.
Joe Petras, a witness, told News 8 the accident sounded like an explosion. "I tried to do whatever I could to see if I could help."
Petras said the driver of the Dodge managed to crawl out of the car and seemed like he was in a state of panic.
The male passenger in the Mustang also survived and was conscious. However, the driver of the Mustang, a young male, was ejected from the car and ended up on the porch of Petras' home. He died at the scene.
Friends identified the other victim as 19-years-old Ana Lira, according to a GoFundMe account.
Lira was in the backseat and was fatally injured.
"I'll never forget it. She looked through me. She was trying with any last life in her to see if anyone was okay," said Petras.
Emergency crews tried to save her, but it was too late, she too passed away.
Medics took a second passenger from the Ford and the driver of the Dodge to a hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
A SigAlert was issued just before midnight as investigators shut down traffic for several blocks in all directions.
East El Norte Parkway was closed between Fig Street and Conway Drive, and North Ash Street was closed between Sheridan and Ball avenues.
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