Four killed in possible street racing crash on the 710 Freeway

SOUTH GATE, Calif. (FOX 11) - Four men were killed Wednesday morning in a possible street racing crash on the 710 Freeway in South Gate.

The California Highway Patrol said that around 3:15 a.m the driver of a BMW traveling at high speed on the northbound 710 Freeway lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a pole near the Firestone Boulevard exit.

"We can confidently say that speed played a factor in this collision," CHP Sgt. Jason Lopez told reporters at the scene. "We have significant... skid marks indicating the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed just due to how long those skid marks are.''

The dead were identified by the coroner's office as Hussein Ahmad Ghasham, 20; Hussein Yasser Saab, 24; Hussein Moussa Ayoub, 22; and Hussein Ali Saleh, 22, all from Bell. It was not immediately known which man was driving. Saab would have turned 25 in two days, the coroner's office reported.

CHP officials said that they did receive several reports of street racing before the crash, but it was unclear if street racing caused the accident, Lopez said.

Firefighters responded and declared the four men dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. All four victims had been riding in the BMW, which was wrapped around the pole.

Later in the day, a CHP statement said alcohol "is not suspected to be a factor in this collision, pending (a) coroner's investigation."

A SigAlert was issued for the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 lanes. By about 8:45 a.m., lanes 2 and 3 lanes had been reopened, but the No. 4 lane remained blocked into the afternoon for guardrail repairs, the CHP reported.

The cause of the crash was under investigation.

Anyone with information regarding the crash was urged to call CHP Officer F. Cortez at the East Los Angeles Area office at 323-980-4600.

CNS contributed to this report.