[symple_googlemap title=”” location=”10100 block of Sunland Boulevard, Sunland, CA” height=”300″ zoom=”13″]
Story updated at 12 p.m., Oct. 24, 2014
A possible street race in Sunland early Friday killed a woman whose car slammed into a power pole, and left the other motorist in custody on suspicion of second-degree murder, authorities said.
The crash occurred in the 10100 block of Sunland Boulevard just after midnight, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott. The woman’s car struck the pole at high speed, sheared it, then overturned, trapping the driver, Scott said.
Claudia Perez, 38, of Sun Valley died at the scene, said coroner’s Assistant Chief Ed Winter.
Police said Perez was believed to have been street-racing with Luis Tapia, 28, of Sunland, who was booked on suspicion of second-degree murder and was being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
Tapia was driving a black 2010 Nissan 370Z, and Perez was behind the wheel of a black 2011 Infiniti G37, LAPD Sgt. Ed Waschak said.
“Based upon the circumstances of the collision and details of the investigation, it was determined that the driver of the black Nissan 370Z contributed to the cause of the collision which resulted in the woman’s death,” according to an LAPD statement.
Anyone with more information on the case was urged to call Detective Brandon Tepper at (818) 644-8036, or (818) 644-8020; or (877) LAPD-247.
—City News Service