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LOS ANGELES – Newly released bodycam footage shows the moments LAPD officers jumped into action to rescue teenagers from a fiery vehicle after a crash in Encino.
The solo-vehicle crash happened February 20, at 12:13 a.m. near the intersection of Balboa and Ventura boulevards.
According to the police department, officers saw a Toyota Camry driving southbound on Balboa without its lights on. The officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop for the infraction; however, the driver did not stop. Officers decided not to pursue the vehicle. As officers continued driving towards Ventura Blvd. they noticed that the same Camry was involved in a single-vehicle crash. The car, which still did not have its headlights on, crashed into a light pole.
The car quickly burst into flames. The officers ran toward the car, broke the driver’s window and started pulling them out of the car.
The officers were able to remove the driver, a 14-year-old girl, and front passenger, an 18-year-old girl. However, due to flames, the third passenger in the back seat, a 16-year-old girl, was trapped and officers were unable to get to her. She unfortunately died at the scene. The two others were taken to the hospital. Police say the driver did not display any signs of impairment.
All three girls were friends and lived near each other, police said. The car they were in was reportedly stolen from a relative. The vehicle’s owner said the teens took their vehicle without their permission. The overnight joyride also occurred on slick roadways as the Los Angeles area was drenched as the result of a powerful atmospheric river.